Assassin's Creed: Judgment
by PageMaster434
Summary: Ariela Liora, a young Polish girl of German blood, undergoes the most traumatic experience of her life as Hitler's forces, backed by the Templar Order, lay siege to her home and destroy everything she loves. Now she must don the hood, take up the sword and join the Assassins to liberate Europe and stop the Templars from taking control of the world. Judgment is here...
1. Prologue

Prologue

I remember it like it was yesterday… September 1, 1939; the sound of tanks rolling through the town, the sound of planes flying overhead, and the sound of soldiers slaughtering countless innocent civilians. Men, women and children… good citizens of Poland brutally cut down by those… bastards… those dammed soldiers called… Nazis.

I watched and prayed from the window in my home, hoping to God that they wouldn't turn their attention towards my home. My prayers were not answered, as they marched on my home, my father ordered my sisters and I to flee while we could. As much as I wanted to argue with him, I knew those mordercze potwory (murderous monsters) would kill us all once they bust down the door. My sisters and I… we ran from home as fast as we could, heading down to Romania, where hopefully we would be able to seek refuge somewhere from someone.

Yet… even as we escaped through the woods, diabeł (the devil) played his sleight of hand and in mere seconds, my sister Gabriela was shot dead by a German tank gunner. I had no time to mourn the loss of my sister, for I and Miriam had to continue running and running until we could barely hear the noise of the gunfire and smelt the scent of smoke and fire. We thought that would be the end, we thought that we could be able to sleep after trying to evade the clutches of those bastards; yet again however, diabeł (the devil) made us think otherwise, as my sister and I awakened and were met by… them: Waffen-SS, elite soldiers of the Nazi military… or at least I thought they were Waffen-SS, until they told me that they were tasked with hunting down and capturing anyone who escaped during the invasion or killing anyone who was of a special heritage.

I thought this would be the end… I thought my sister and I would be captured and taken somewhere to be killed; but salvation came as a group of soldiers appeared and attacked the SS, allowing my sister and I to escape… or so I thought. In the ensuing battle, my sister was taken by them… taken and thrown inside of the back of one of the trucks while we tried to make a getaway. In the end, I continued running… running… running until hunger and exhaustion consumed me and I fell to the ground.

Everything is gone… everything… my home, my friends, my family, my life… I'm… I'm all alone. Why? Why was my country punished for this? What did we do to deserve this...? I asked myself over and over again, as I slowly blacked out… but as I was almost smothered by the void… I heard a voice… and I saw a light. It was at that point that I knew I couldn't just give up right then and there… those bastards took away everything I held near and dear to my heart. Those led by one who believes himself a person who has the right to judge who lives and who dies in his "perfect world".

Only God has the right to make such judgements… this man has _no_ right, and neither did the soldiers who took my family from me! And if God is the judge, then I shall be his executioner. My name is Ariela Liora, and this is my story…


	2. Chapter 1: A second chance

Chapter 1

A second chance (72hrs. later)

"Hey… Hey… Hey kid… Kid… _KID!_ "

"Don't shout at her like that man, you just have to keep nudging her."

"I have been nudging her, she hasn't even budged."

"Well… try harder then?"

"Harder how!?"

"Dude, you're shouting again, do you want them to find us?"

"Well I'm sorry, but Haymitch here is driving me up the damn wall Theodore."

"I don't care if he's driving you up the damn wall, James, just keep your voice down."

"Fine, but that doesn't explain how we're going to wake this kid."

"Let me try something."

"Jake? Jake what are you doing?"

"I'm going to wake her up."

"No, it looks like you're going to-"

 _Thud_

"Owwwwwwwwwwwwww!"

…Silence, when I awoke, I was looking into the eyes of… someone… really, really, słodkie (cute). In fact, I found myself turning red with embarrassment.

"Hi," he said with a smile, "my name is Jake."

I didn't know what to say, I was so… disoriented from the hunger that all I could do was put a hand on his face in response.

"Pomóż mi (Help me)," I whispered.

"I'm sorry?" asked Jake.

"Pomóż mi (Help me)," I repeated.

"Guys? Does anyone know what she's saying?" asked Jake.

"I know what she's saying," said another man, "she's saying "Help Me"."

"How do you know here language?" asked the third man.

"I used to study a number of European languages before I joined you guys," said the second man, "I wasn't sure if you all had an interpreter in this group, so I figured "Why the fuck not"?"

"Impressive Theodore… very impressive," said the fifth man.

I looked down as the man who was holding me upright, the one called "James" offered me his canteen. I took the canteen from his hand and took a few gulps of water from it, I quickly drew the canteen away from my lips and started coughing hard, almost to the point where I spat up a bit of blood.

"Jesus, she's been out here too long," said Haymitch, "let's take her back to the compound."

"Come on kid, up you get," said Jake.

Jake lifted me up in his arms and followed his friends back to the "compound". I didn't see any patches on their arms, which meant these men we're German… but if they weren't German then who were they?

"Dokąd mnie zabieracie (Where are you taking me)?" I asked weakly.

Jake didn't respond, I had already forgotten that he didn't speak my native tongue, maybe he might speak…

"Wo bringst du mich hin (Where are you taking me)?" I asked weakly.

Jake looked down at me curiously.

"You speak German and Polish?" he asked, "do you speak English too?"

Before I could answer, exhaustion smothered me again and I passed out. A few hours passed… I think, I woke up in a fairly large bedroom, complete with a bookshelf, dresser, a bathroom, and a closet. I slowly sat up and winced, I looked down and pulled off the covers, my torso was bandaged up along with my arms, I could only assume that I must've received a few scratches from the debris that caked my sister and I while-

 _"Miriam!"_ I thought with a gasp.

"Hiya sleepyhead," said a voice.

I whirled around and saw a guy enter my bedroom, judging by his uniform, he looked like some kind of soldier… problem was the uniform he was wearing wasn't exactly something I… recognized. I mean it wasn't a Nazi uniform or a Polish uniform, it was some kind of hooded coat, with a pair of pants, boats, a vest, and a pair of fingerless gloves.

"Who are you?" I asked, "where am I?"

"My name is Jake. Jake Westover," said the man, "where you are right now… that's top secret. All you need to know though is that you're safe and sound like the rest of these good people that we managed to find and rescue during the Poland Invasion."

I didn't know what else to say, I just tried to climb out of bed; however, when my feet touched the floor I stumbled a little bit. John helped me to my feet.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa easy," he said, "I don't think it's a good idea for you to stand right now."

"Mia sorella (My sister), where's Miriam?" I asked.

"Miriam? Who's Miriam?" asked John.

"My sister," I said, "where's my sister?"

Jake helped me back on the bed and said, "I'm sorry miss, but my friends and I only found you out close to the border of Romania… we didn't see anyone else with you."

I started to panic.

"N-No, that can't be, my sister has to be here," I said.

"Miss-"

"Miriam!" I called out as I tried to stand, "Miriam! Miriam! Miriam!"

I rose to my feet and tried to run for the hallway, but I collapsed, I grunted and grimaced in pain.

"Miss, I'm sorry; but I think it's wise that you not do anything too strenuous in your condition right now," said Jake, "you need food and water in your sister."

I wasn't listening, I tried to get up and keep going.

"Miriam! Miriam! Miriam!" I screamed.

I felt ake pick me up and carry back to my bed, I started throwing a fit.

"Let me go! I need to find my sister! Let me go dammit, let me go!" I screamed.

I started swinging and kicking wildly, causing a lot of trouble for Jake in the process.

"Ow! Hey, stop it! Your sister's not here!" Jake cried out.

"Where's my sister!? Where's my sister!?" I screamed.

"Miss, stop, please!" begged Jake.

As I kept kicking and swinging wildly, Jake threw me onto the bed and pinned me down.

"Just calm down, and I'll release you alright?" he asked firmly, "is that too much to ask?"

"Jake, what the fuck are you doing?" asked a voice.

I saw Jake turn and his face turned red with embarrassment.

"This isn't what it looks like Phoebe," he said.

"Dude, are you that hard-up that you're willing to fuck someone younger than you?" asked the voice.

"Phoebe, look, I just came in to check on this girl and then she started screaming, talking about her sister… someone by the name of Miriam," said Jake.

"Miriam?" asked Phoebe.

Jake nodded.

I turned to the sound of someone walking into my bedroom, it was the Phoebe girl. She looked like she was in her late 20s to early 30s, with long, brunette hair and brown eyes.

"You asked about your sister, Miriam, right?" she asked me.

I nodded. Phoebe sighed and motioned for Jake to let go of me, he did. Phoebe sat down beside me on the bed and gave me a look.

"What's your name, kid?" she asked.

"Ariela… Ariela Liora," I said, "my sister is Miriam Liora."

Phoebe cursed under her breath and shook her head.

"I was hoping that you two really weren't sisters Ariela," she said, "you see… your sister Miriam… she was taken. Taken by the Nazis."

I felt like my heart just stopped.

"W-What?" I asked.

"You and your sister were the ones who were found by those groups of Nazis during the invasion, right?" she asked.

I nodded.

"My team and I moved in and tried to save you guys from being captured," said Phoebe, "unfortunately though, during the chaos, you fled during the crossfire and your sister winded up captured."

I gasped. I remember now, that night my sister and I were found by a group of Nazis; except they were different… these Nazis didn't carry their traditional symbol, the _swastika_ , on their armbands. No, these Nazis were different, their armbands had a different symbol on it… however I wasn't able to make it out.

"I'm really sorry Ariela, we tried to save her… but there was just too many of them," said Phoebe.

I didn't say anything, I just started sniffling, and then I began to cry. My sister… my older sister taken from me by those Nazis, first it was my parents, then Gabriela and now this? Why? What did Poland do to deserve this? We didn't deserve this level of punishment, we were just minding our business, especially since the end of the first World War… we didn't intend to cause any trouble.

"Ariela?" asked Jake.

I looked up at him, with a sad look on my face. Jake motioned for Phoebe to leave, she did.

"Do you want to talk?" he asked.

I shook my head and said, "No."

Jake sighed.

"Well… when you want to talk… I'll be around," he said as he stood up to leave.


	3. Chapter 2: Zion Base

Chapter 2

Zion Base

After Jake left, I spent a few hours in my room, laying on my bed and wallowing in my sorrows, it wasn't until I finally decided to have a look around the place; but first, I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that I needed a shower. Luckily for me, my room had a bathroom, complete with a shower, a bath, and everything.

 _"I don't know how these people did it, but it had to have taken them a long time to build this big place,"_ I thought.

I walked into the bathroom, stripped out of my old, dirty, tattered clothes and turned the water on. I tested the temperature to see how hot it was and let out a small yelp.

 _"Zimno (Cold),"_ I thought.

I turned the other faucet and tested the water again. Warm. I climbed inside of the shower and closed the curtain, I closed my eyes and stood under the shower head, letting out a sigh as the water ran down my body. As I soaked myself for what felt like a good five minutes, my eyes snapped open, upon hearing the sound of… gunfire and voices.

"Töte sie! Töte sie alle (Kill them! Kill them all)!"

"Razem Assassins! Weź je! Pobierz ocalałych (Together Assassins! Take them out! Get the survivors)!"

"Ariela! Bieg! Uruchom i nie oglądaj się (Ariela! Run! Run and don't look back)!"

"Miriam!"

I fell back in the shower, I grimaced and groaned in pain upon the impact.

 _"Miriam,"_ I thought.

I felt my heart start racing, I struggled to breathe, I felt my hands shaking. I guess I'm still coming off of that horrible experience that night.

 _"Come on Ariela, think logically for a second, there was nothing you could've done for her, they had guns kurwa (for fuck's sake),"_ I thought as I laid on the shower floor, _"still… you could've at least tried instead of letting her get taken…"_

I let out a sigh and rose to my feet, after I had washed down and got out of the shower, I dried myself off, put on some fresh clothes and had a look around this place; just as I had originally planned from the start. I headed down the hallway and looked to my left and right, seeing room after room, if I had to guess, I'd say that this area was some kind of… place for people who were rescued during Germany's attack on Poland. I continued walking down the hallway until I came to an intersection and looked to my right, seeing another hallway that led to a large open area… no, some kind of lobby.

I made my way down the hallway and into the lobby, inside there was a chandelier, a series of hallways and doors, a desk far to left of me, and along the walls, I could make out a series of speakers, which meant there had to be some kind of room with an intercom or… something. I looked and walked over to three pairs of doors to the left of me, I gazed through the glass and gasped: There were vehicles parked outside! Military vehicles!

"Exploring are we?" asked a voice.

I turned around fast and saw Jake standing nearby, dressed in some casual attire, not like the same attire he wore when I first met him.

"I… I'm sorry… I just thought… I mean I… I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," said Jake, "I know this place has a kind of… peaceful and curious feeling to it."

I blushed shyly.

"Ariela, you don't have to be so scared, you're safe," said Jake, "no one here is going to hurt you."

"I'm sorry…" I said, "it's just… I'm still coming off…"

Jake put a hand on my shoulder.

"I understand," he said, "such an experience like that can be… taxing on someone as young as you."

I only gave Jake an affirmative nod in response.

"Come on, let me give you a little tour around this place," he said giving me a smile.

Jake took me by the hand and led me through this… this… uh…

"What is this place?" I asked, "I mean… I know it's got to be some kind of military base but… I don't exactly know if my assumption is correct."

"It is a military building, but calling it a "base" is putting it lightly," said Jake, "this is Zion Base, and it's an underground military stronghold."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What's the uh… what's the difference?" I asked.

Jake laughed as we stopped at the first room.

"Well for one thing, this place is heavily fortified to protect all military personnel and denizens from any kind of attack," said Jake, "also, this place is large enough to be separated into different wings."

We stopped at the first room in, what Jake calls, The Military Wing, where all of the soldiers are held. Jake opened the door and revealed hundreds of soldiers in training, I gasped. I had never seen so many soldiers in one spot… okay that's a lie I have except… look you know where I'm going with this!

"This is the physical training room, where our commandos undergo rigorous training," said Jake.

"Commandos?" I asked, "they're not… soldiers?"

"Calling these men "soldiers" would be putting it lightly," said Jake, "soldiers don't go through the kind of training these men go through. These men and women are some of the toughest bastards the world has… never seen actually."

Jake led me further down the hallway, where we stopped at another room.

"This is the Mess Hall, where of course our commandos have their meals and often times… have a number of fist fights," said Jake.

Jake and I kept going until I saw a room that we walked past. The room was labeled "Fox Den".

"Jake? What's this room?" I asked.

Jake turned and blushed deeply.

"Uh… I'd rather you not take a look in here," he said as he pushed me along.

I wanted to ask him what the room was, but I didn't want to push it… especially considering that he had just turned red as a strawberry.

"This is the combat training room," Jake said as he opened the next door we stopped at, "this is where our commandos train to learn how to fight in hand-to-hand combat, use close quarter weapons, and wield firearms."

I watched the commandos at work, fighting each other in hand-to-hand combat sparring matches, practicing their marksmanship, and practice fighting with knives. It was rather fascinating seeing these guys train so hard and not… never mind. When Jake closed the door, I looked down the end of the hall and saw a pair of locked double doors that was marked with some kind of symbol… a crest of some kind.

"Jake? What's behind those doors?" I asked.

Jake looked at the doors and tried to hide his shock, he turned me away and the two of us made our way out of the military wing.

"Stay away from those doors," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just stay away from those doors alright? Trust me," he said.

"Why? What's behind them?" I asked.

"Just don't go through those doors," Jake said firmly.

I turned and gave Jake a look, he sighed and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Ariela… there's just some things that people like you aren't ready to see just yet," he said.

"Why can't I see what's behind those doors?" I asked in a protesting tone.

"Would you just trust me Ariela? What's behind those doors… if you were to go through them right now, you'd be pulled into a world where you can never get out of," said Jake, "promise me, you won't go through those doors."

I gave Jake a pouty face, what was behind those doors that I couldn't see? I wouldn't blab about it to anyone, I don't even know any of these people… and by people I mean the denizens that these commandos rescued from Poland during the invasion, but even so what was so important about those doors that I couldn't go in and see what's on the other side? Was it some kind of secret weapon? Was it where they keep prisoners? What was it?

"Fine… I promise," I said flatly.

"Good," he said, "feel free to look around the stronghold a little more if you want. If you ever need anything, come find me here in the military wing."

I nodded.

"Hey Jake," I said.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"I just want to say… uh… I just want to say…" I said as I looked down, "thanks… Thanks for… Thanks for bringing me here."

Jake smiled at me and gave me a hug.

"Hey, no problem kiddo, it's what I'm trained to do," he said as he pat me on the head.

Jake turned and left, I turned and headed back to the Civilian Wing, from there I headed into the cafeteria, where I saw a number of people from Poland, most of them were women and children, kids whom I went to school with before the entire world went down the otwór gówno (shit hole). I looked around the cafeteria and saw a couple of chefs making plates for us, roast chicken on some plates and beef brisket on others and a combination of either garlic potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, baked rolls for the sides. I blushed as I felt my stomach growl, I forgot how hungry I was.

 _"Since I'm here,"_ I thought.

I grabbed a plate and sat down at a nearby table to enjoy my meal. I looked up every few seconds and saw a number of people talking to each other, comforting each other, singing a few songs, or even telling a few jokes to lift another person's spirits. It was really comforting to see; but also really sad, to see so many people suffering because of Germany and their hatred towards the Polish.

 _"I still don't understand why though, what could we have done to deserve this?"_ I thought as I bit into my roll.

"Hey Liora," said a voice.

I let out a sigh, I recognized that voice anywhere, that voice belonged to Helena, a girl at my school who used to treat me like absolute shit out of spite; she used to tease me, poke fun about my family being half-German and half-Polish.

"I'm not in the mood Helena," I said.

"Listen, I know that we've had our troubles in the past-"

But Helena was interrupted as she put a hand on my shoulder, in a flash I whirled around and punched her right in the stomach; then I struck her right in the face with my knee, knocking her over. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at Helena and I, the former whom by the way, was starting to bleed from her nose and coughed up blood.

"Heh-heh, good one," she said as she spat up more blood.

I was confused, she didn't even bother to get up and fight back.

"Look… I know we've had our troubles in the past… and you have every right to beat me down for what happened all of those days when you went to school," Helena said sadly, "I just thought you should know that okay? I'm… I'm really sorry for your family."

I gave Helena a surprised look as she slowly rose to her feet and wiped the blood off of her face.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked.

Helena gave me a sad smile.

"Because I know what it's like to lose people you care about," she said.

"What's going on here?" asked a voice.

I looked towards the door and saw a pair of commandos walk into the cafeteria, Helena looked at me.

"Nothing sir," I said, "Helena just… she tripped."

Helena smiled at me again and gave the commandos a nod.

"I fell and hit the floor really hard," she said.

The commandos looked at us, then they looked at each other and walked out of the cafeteria. Helena looked at me again and gave me a hug, I hugged her back.

"Nice cover," she said.

"I learned from you," I said as I pulled away.

"Mądrala (Smartass)," she said as she gave me a playful shove.


	4. Chapter 3: Romanian Hunt

Chapter 3

Romanian hunt

It was September 27, nearly an entire month has passed since the invasion of Poland, during this time I've mainly been spending most of my free time by myself, either in my room lying in bed or exploring more of Zion Base. As it turns out, the Civilian Wing also has a library, which housed loads and loads of books for people to read, I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed reading during my downtime, laying on my bed, diving into a good story and sipping tea… such heavenly bliss.

As I was busy reading though, I heard voices outside of my bedroom, I put my book down and went to the door so I could see what was going on. When I cracked it open, I gasped, it was Jake! And he was garbed in the same attire that he wore when I first met him! Honestly though that wasn't what surprised me, what surprised me was that he was with a few other people who were wearing the same attire as him and they were backed up by those commandos that I saw. They were a little far from my room and I couldn't hear them, so I took it upon myself to get closer look, when I was at the perfect listening distance, I was able to make out what they were saying to each other.

"So what's the assignment from Mentor?" asked one of the men who was garbed in the same attire as him.

"They're moving into Romania, they think that there may be more people there who are… like us," said Jake.

"That can't be right, and that limp dick dictator Adolf allowed them to do this?" asked a young woman.

I held back a gasp. Romania, my cousins live in Romania along with my aunt and uncle, if those Nazis are going there to cause more trouble they're going to wind up killed!

"Of course he did, you know Hitler doesn't care about what the Templars do, just so long as they don't interfere with his plan for world domination," said the first man.

"That's right, I forgot how much of a fascist pig that man is," said the woman, "when are we going to take him out?"

"We can't move on to Hitler yet, not until we take down his Templar support and leave him vulnerable," said Jake.

 _"Templars? Who are these Templars? And more importantly, why are they allied with Hitler?"_ I thought as I listened from behind the corner.

"Jake's right, as long as the Templars live they'll simply carry on Hitler's legacy if we kill him," said the second man.

"Okay and when will we officially move against the Templars?" asked another woman, "not that I'm sick of saving people from harm it's just that I was hoping for my blade to taste blood."

"Soon," said Jake, "the Mentor said we'll be able to attack soon. Just be patient."

The men and women gathered around Jake grumbled and shrugged, I guess they knew there was no point in arguing with him about… whatever what was happening right now.

"Alright, you all know the mission so let's-"

Jakes stopped talking all of a sudden, I raised an eyebrow, wondering why he stopped talking. Just then, without warning, a knife flew and hit the corner of the wall I was hiding behind, causing me to jump back in shock.

"Pierdolić (Fuck)!" I thought.

I bolted back to my room, with the sound of heavy boots pounding after me. I managed to make it back to my room and struggled to open the door when I was tackled to the ground, I let out a pained yelp as I made contact with the cold, hard ground. I gritted my teeth hard, biting back a long string of curses. When I tried to turn my head and see who it was, I was met with a knife at my throat.

"Gotcha you filthy spy," said my attacker.

"Spy!? I'm not a spy, get off of me!" I demanded.

"Keith! Keith stop, get off of her!" ordered Jake.

My attacker got off of me, I rose to my feet and dusted myself off as Jake approached me.

"Ariela, what are you doing out of your room?" he asked.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"It's nothing you should concern yourself with, now go to bed," said Jake.

He turned to go, I reached out and grabbed him.

"What's going on Jake, tell me," I said.

"Ariela, let go of me," he said.

"What's going on?" I asked firmly.

"Ariela-"

"Jake, please just tell me," I said.

Jake looked down and sighed, he turned towards his friends and turned back towards me.

"We're on our way to Romania, we've gotten reports of Hitler's… special forces being deployed there," said Jake, "there, are you happy?"

I nodded.

"Good, now… go to bed, it's late," he said.

"No," I said as he turned to go.

"Excuse me?" Jake asked as he turned around.

"I want to go with you," I said.

"Excuse _me_?" he asked, "you want to tag along with me and my men on a mission? I don't think so; you're staying here at the base."

I frowned and clenched my fist.

"Jake, my cousin Eli is in Romania… I was planning on going there when the Nazis invaded Poland…" I said trying to keep my voice calm, "if Hitler's forces are going there to cause trouble I need to get him and the rest of my family out. Now I'm coming along _with_ you."

Jake gave me a look and sighed as he lowered his head and shook it. I didn't know if he was annoyed with me or what, all I knew was that I had to get my cousin out of Romania before he was kidnapped too… or worse.

"Fine, fine, fine, you can come along," he said, "just uh… uh… here."

Jake handed me something big and metallic, a handgun by the looks of it.

"Colt M1911, standard issue," he said, "use it _only_ when necessary."

I nodded and stuck the gun in my pocket as I followed Jake outside, where I nearly fell over in complete shock and awe. This really was some kind of military stronghold, there was rows and rows of trucks, tanks, and jeeps sitting inside of a massive garage.

 _"I'm scared to ask if this place has an underground air field,"_ I thought as I followed Jake over to one of the trucks.

"Jake, where've you been?" asked one of the commandos.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I just got-"

"Jake, who's this little girl?" asked another commando, "don't you know civilians aren't allowed on these missions."

"You've got a problem with me being here?" I asked firmly.

The commando gave me a hard look.

"What did you just say?" he asked in a hard tone.

Jake jumped in.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" he exclaimed, "save it for the enemy."

I sat back in my spot on the truck. Oh I intended to save my rage for the enemy… I most certainly intended to save it. I sat up quickly for a second though as the truck purred to life, we lurched ahead, along with two other military trucks that were carrying commandos. We slowly moved through the parking lot and made our way towards some kind of winding ramp, where we went up, around, and outside… or out into a forest rather.

"Where the hell is this place located?" I asked.

"The last place where the Nazis would ever think to look if they ever planned to hunt for our HQ," said Jake.

I looked outside of the truck and gasped when I saw something out in the distance… my home.

"My god… those monsters," I said.

I looked down and clenched my fists.

"Why is this happening to us? To my people?" I asked.

I looked over at Jake, who gave me a somber stare and sighed.

"If I were to tell you Ariela... you probably wouldn't believe me," he said.

I looked down again and sat back in my spot on the truck. I looked out again and saw my home seem to shrink more and more the farther we went until it had finally disappeared behind the trees and hills. I don't know how many miles we traveled from here to Romania; but before I knew it, someone was nudging me awake, I didn't even know that I had fallen asleep.

"Come on," said Jake.

I hopped out of the truck and looked around, judging by the looks on some of these people's faces, I could only assume that Hitler's goons had already arrived and were skulking around.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Turda," said Jake, "I assume your relatives live here?"

I nodded.

"Alright, well unfortunately I have to tell you something that you're probably not going to like: You're going to have to find your cousin on your own," said Jake.

"What?" I asked, "why do I have to go alone?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you find your cousin and kill off Templars at the same time, I'm afraid you'll have to go find your cousin on your own," said Jake, "but just in case, I want you to have something to defend yourself."

Jake reached into his coat and pulled out something for me, a gun. I gasped and stepped back a little bit.

"The Colt M1911, standard weapon for me and my friends," he said as he reached out and planted the firearm in my hands.

"Jake no, there's no possible way I could use this," I said.

"Hey, you wanted to come with us so you could look for your cousin," he said, "if you're going to be doing that by yourself; then you're going to need protection, because otherwise you can get back on the truck and head back to the base."

I opened my mouth and prepared to say something when I stopped, he's right, I did want to go on this little escapade so I could find my cousin's house. So I just sighed and accepted the weapon… even if I really… _really_ didn't want to.

"Try to stay out of trouble, I'll come looking for you if we don't find the Templars," said Jake.

And with that, he took off, I turned and looked around the area again before I started to make my way to my cousin's house.

 _"I hope that they haven't been visited by those… goons,"_ I thought, _"or worse."_


	5. Chapter 4 Hidden Talents

Chapter 4

Hidden Talents

I kept moving through the town, moving cautiously and keeping my eyes and ears open to even the slightest noise or movement that seemed… off. As I kept walking, I noticed the looks on people's faces… they were… sad and scared. A number of the faces I noticed as I walked the streets… those people must've been from Poland, which made me leave to assume that they were probably exiled when the Soviet Union invaded from the east and divided my country between themselves and Germany. Dammed bastards.

 _"Where are you Eli?"_ I thought.

Suddenly, I turned to the sound of commotion in the distance, I turned pale and headed towards the noises.

 _"No, please god no,"_ I thought as I ran through the streets.

But just when I heard the commotion getting louder and louder, I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw a pair of German soldiers not too far from where I was. I gasped, they were at my cousin's house!

 _"Oh-no, I'm too late!"_ I thought.

"Wo ist sie!? Ich weiß, dass du sie hier in diesem Haus beherbergt, nun sag mir, wo sie ist (Where is she!? I know you're harboring her here at this home, now tell me where she is)!?" I heard someone shouting.

 _"She? That guy couldn't be talking about me could he?"_ I thought as I tried to move in for a closer look.

I kept my weapon close to me, getting it ready to fire when the time was right.

"Sind Sie faschistische Bastarde, dass dickköpfigen !? Mein Cousin ist nicht hier (Are you fascist bastards that thick-headed!? My cousin isn't here)!" someone else shouted.

I recognized that voice! It was Eli! It was my cousin! I wanted to move closer to hear the conversation a little better; however, I knew deep down that if I got any closer, those two soldiers would hear my footsteps and I'd be screwed.

"Warum willst du mein Vetter so schlecht? Was hat sie zu tun selbst? Sprechen Sie heraus gegen Ihre limp-Schwanz Führer (Why do you want my cousin so badly? What did she even do? Speak out against your limp-dick leader)?" asked Eli.

There was a silence, then I heard the German speak again, this time in a much firmer tone.

"Watch what you say boy," he said, "my mercy has its limits."

Just then, my heart skipped a beat as I heard people screaming.

 _"Oh-no! Uncle Daniel, Aunt Carmela!"_ I thought fearfully.

Just then, instinct took over and I shot the two German soldiers dead, I charged over to the house and fired on another pair of soldiers who were on guard, killing them dead. I ran up to the front door and struggled to open it, the damn thing didn't budge.

 _"Ariela you stupid curvă (whore), they're in the back,"_ I thought irritably as I made my way around towards the back of the house.

Sure enough, my relatives were there, along with the Germans, when I looked at the German Officer in the trench coat, I let out an alarmed gasp. I recognized him, he was the bastard that took my sister!

"SIE (YOU)!" I exclaimed.

The German Officer turned and ordered his men to apprehend me as I threw my gun up and prepared to fire.

"DU BASTARD! WO IST MEINE SCHWESTER !? WO IST MIRIAM (YOU BASTARD! WHERE'S MY SISTER!? WHERE'S MIRIAM)!?" I demanded as I struggled to break free of the soldiers who were holding me back.

The German Officer turned and walked over to me, giving me a big, toothy smile.

"Ah, I recognize that fire in you child," he said as he tilted his head up at me, "it's good to see you again, you're actually just in time to see me kill off these good people right here."

I stopped struggling as I turned to see my relatives… all lined up and getting ready to be fired upon. I was horrified.

"What are you doing?" I asked, "you wanted to know where I was right? I'm here! So let them go!"

The soldiers laughed, the officer included.

"Did you hear that? She actually demanded that I let them go!" chimed the officer.

He looked at me and gave me a wicked smile.

"You've given my men and I a lot of trouble trying to track you down, especially for Klaus," he said.

I turned to see the soldiers getting ready to load their weapons. I started to panic and turn pale.

"Please, why are you doing this? You have me alright? My relatives don't have to die," I said.

The German Officer gave me another wicked smile.

"That's where you're wrong," he said, "Bereit Machen (Get ready)!"

The soldiers stood at attention. I started letting out fast, sharp breaths.

"Ziel (Aim)!" ordered the German Officer.

The soldiers took aim. I my vision started to become blurry as tears started to fill my eyes.

"No… please… no," I begged.

As my relatives stood where they were, lined up side-by-side, I saw Ester… my cousin's little sister, look over at me and give me a sad smile. A stray tear ran down her face as she raised her hand and waved.

"la revedere Arela (Goodbye Ariela)," she said sadly.

"Fuer (Fire)!" ordered the German Officer.

" _NO_!" I screamed.

But it was too late… the soldiers all took their weapons… and they fired… on my relatives. I was destroyed, fleeing my home as the soldiers marched through the streets, killing everyone in sight was one thing… but this was different. I actually… witnessed death before my very eyes. That was the last straw.

"W…What… Is your name?" I asked slowly.

The German Officer turned towards me.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"I said… what is your name?" I asked.

The German Officer chuckled and knelt down to my height.

"My is Commander Abelard Berand, but you can call me the murderer of your family," he said with a laugh.

That was when… I snapped. With a good, strong yank, I pulled the two soldiers who were holding me towards each other and smacked their heads together, causing them to go unconscious, I grabbed my Colt, turned and fired on the German Firing Squad as they prepared to fire on me. Abelard gave me a look of shock.

"I'm going to kill you dead," I snarled.

Abelard smirked and said, "I don't think so."

With a snap of his fingers, another squad of soldiers came from around the corner of the house. For some reason… I wasn't afraid of them, I just stood my ground with my Colt in hand, ready for whatever else was about to happen.

"Deal with her," he said.

Without warning, I made a mad dash for the corner of the house as the German soldiers fired on me, I moved away as the bullets went through the house, bits of shrapnel flew off and hit my face, forcing me to throw my arm up and protect myself in case if any bits of shrapnel decided to go for my eyes. When I heard the gunfire stop, I rounded the corner and fired, shooting the first soldier in the head, shooting the third one in the chest and hitting the fourth and sixth soldier right in the chest as well, killing them all.

"Kill her! Kill that half-breed bitch!" ordered Abelard.

As I prepared to round the corner again and fire, I heard the remaining soldiers let out grunts and groans of pain, followed by Abelard shouting something in German.

 _"It couldn't be,"_ I thought as I rounded the corner again.

Sure enough, Jake and his commandos were here.

"Du bist zu spät Assassinen mehr Unschuldige sterben und ihr Blut ist an den Händen (You're too late Assassins, more innocents die and their blood is on your hands)," I heard Abelard said.

"Nein, ihr Blut ist nur auf die Hände, ihr Templer Hündin (No, their blood is only on your hands, you Templar bitch)," said Jake.

I looked around the corner just in time to see Jake draw a sword and charge at Abelard, who also drew a sword and blocked Jake's first attack.

"Guys! Get the boy out of here!" ordered Jake, "I'll hold him off!"

"Better hurry Jake, I think Abelard's forces are on their way here," said one of the commandos.

I watched as the commandos grabbed my cousin and took him around the corner to the front of the house. I followed and saw that the troop truck was parked out front. I watched as Eli was placed in the back, of the vehicle; I turned around towards the backyard, hearing the sound of metal colliding with metal as Jake fought it out with Abelard in a duel. As much as I wanted to go back there and give him a hand, I knew that I wouldn't be much help, so I just simply made my way into the back of the truck and sat down next to Eli, who seemed… mortified as I was when I saw everyone we loved, get cut down.

"Are you kids okay?" asked one of the commandos.

I gave the man a look, like he said something offensive.

"Do we look okay to you?" I asked firmly.

Suddenly, out of the clear blue, a small volley of bullets flew past all three of us and hit the inside of the truck, the sound of the ricochets appearing to almost… ring throughout the inside of the vehicle.

"Templars!" another commando called out.

I looked out into the distance and saw a group of German soldiers make their way over to us.

"Men! Hold this position!" ordered the first commando.

Everyone grouped up, drew their weapons and started laying down a hail of gunfire on the Germans… er, Templars, as they were called just a bit ago.

 _"Assassins? Templars?"_ I thought, _"What the hell is going on here?"_

Just then, I tensed up and pressed myself against the wall of the truck as a stray bullet practically flew right past my face. I looked over at Eli, who was now sitting close to me, like a frightened child.

"Get down," I said.

Eli and I dropped to the floor of the truck as more and more stray bullets slipped inside of the truck and let out loud rings upon impact. I slowly looked up and saw the commandos and their… Assassin allies battled it out in a fierce firefight.

 _"Jake, where the hell are you?"_ I thought.


	6. Chapter 5: Truth

Chapter 5

Truth

As if on cue, I heard numerous loud bangs coming from outside, I could only assume that was the sound of a sidearm going off. Sure enough I saw Jake appear, squeezing off a lot of rounds at the enemy and killing a number of them in the process.

"Everyone inside! Now!" ordered Jake.

Eli and I sat back down in our spots on the truck as the commandos and Assassins all piled in the vehicles, all while continually firing off more and more rounds at the enemy as the driver fired up the engine and we took off down the road. Two commandos closed the doors to the truck I was in, to protect us from enemy fire. Even with the back of the truck closed up, I could still make out the sound of gunfire coming from outside as we drove away.

"Are you alright Eli?" I asked.

Eli looked up at me for a good two minutes before wrapping his arms around me and giving me a hug.

"Ariela…" he whispered.

As I prepared to hug Eli back, the truck jerked and swerved a little bit, I looked around in shock and confusion.

"Ariela, what happened?" asked Eli.

"I think we were hit," I said.

Sure enough, the sound of machine gun fire was heard from outside the truck, followed by the ricochet of bullets bouncing off of the truck itself. I couldn't believe it! They were chasing us! Without warning, I felt the truck swerve again and there was a loud slam, whoever was chasing, I guess the driver must've hit them back… hard. Because before I knew it there was a loud crash that came from outside.

 _"To jakieś fajne jazdy (That's some nice driving),"_ I thought.

Suddenly, there was more gunfire coming from outside, only this time it was coming from my side of the truck, the right. I jumped out of the spot as I felt the impact of one of the bullets hit me right in the back, for a second, I thought that one of the rounds went through and hit me dead center. I turned to the right and saw one of the commandos stand up, he walked over to the double-doors, opened one of them up and started firing on the Nazis with his sidearm.

 _"Is this guy insane!? He's going to get himself killed!"_ I thought fearfully.

Just then, the truck made a hard right turn and I fell right back in my seat, I held back a scream as the commando who was firing on the Nazis that were in pursuit… go right out of the truck!

"Relax," said a voice.

I turned and saw one of the commandos give me a reassuring smile.

"Relax!? I exclaimed, "he just fell out of the truck!"

The commando pointed at the door, I turned and saw her friend step back into the vehicle, all while firing at the Nazi jeep's front wheel, blowing it out and causing the thing to swerve and crash into a nearby building.

 _"I hope there weren't any people in that building,"_ I thought.

With the last of the Nazis killed off, we made our way out of Romania and towards Zion Base. During the trip back home, Eli just sat close to me, I could tell that he was scared shitless after what he had just witnessed; and quite frankly I couldn't blame him, I was traumatized myself during the Invasion of Poland and witnessed the death of one of my sisters first hand.

 _"That day still haunts me to this day too,"_ I thought.

After we made our way into the garage, all of the commandoes and hooded soldiers piled out of the truck and headed into the building, my cousin included. I stayed behind for some reason… actually no… not "some reason", there was a reason why I stayed behind.

"Ariela? Are you alright?" asked Jake.

I looked at Jake and then looked down at me feet as I sat in the back of the truck.

"That man… What did you call him back there?" I asked.

Jake gave me a confused look.

"What are-"

"Jake… Tell me… Tell me what's going on… right now," I said as I tried to keep my voice steady.

Jake looked at me and let out a sigh.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you would ask that question," he said, "Ariela… come with me."

"Where are we going?" I asked giving Jake a questioning look.

"I'm going to show you the truth," he said, "now come on."

I sighed, stood up and followed Jake inside. Jake took me into a library located in the military wing, where he led me to a bookshelf and pulled a single book back, I heard a click and then the bookshelf appeared to almost… sink in and open up, revealing a spiral staircase.

"What is this place?" I asked in surprise.

Jake didn't say anything, he just led me downstairs, where was in awe at the sight of... some kind of ancient library or… vault or…

"What is this place?" I asked.

Jake turned towards me.

"This isn't just a stronghold… and it wasn't made by the military… the truth is that this place is… well, we don't even know what to call this place," he said.

"We?" I asked.

"The people I'm a part of," said Jake, "we discovered this base long before the outbreak of WWII. This place supplied us with everything we needed: Food, water, oxygen, everything. It was as if this stronghold, this… base… whatever you want to call it, it supplies everyone here with anything we need."

I looked around the room we were in, admiring the sleek, metallic work and the glyphs etched from corner to corner near the floor and ceiling. But what caught my attention, was the statues of hooded robed warriors far across from Jake and I.

"Who are those people?" I asked.

"The same people who you saw today," said Jake, "they're called Assassins."

"Assassins?" I asked, "who are they?"

"The Assassins are members of an ancient brotherhood that was established many years ago, during the Crusade Wars," said Jake, "those men whom you saw with the commandos… they're Assassins… and… I'm an Assassin as well."

I looked and gasped as I saw a symbol on Jake's left arm patch. That was the same symbol that's on each of the statues in here.

"Why didn't you tell me what you really were before?" I asked.

Jake sighed.

"Remember when I told you not to go through the double doors at the end of the hall?" he asked.

I nodded.

"That was the Assassin Wing," he said, "where only the most esteemed commandos are handpicked and trained to become Assassins. Had you gone through that door, you would've been pulled into a world where you could never escape from."

"Yeah… I guessed as much," I said, "but you still didn't answer my question: What did you just call him? What did you call Abelard?"

Jake paused before speaking.

"A Templar. The ancient enemy of the Assassins," he said, "for years the Assassins and Templars have been at war with each other. Our battles have raged throughout history, from the Crusades, to the Renaissance, and even into the industrial age in Great Britain. Overtime, our battles have gotten more and more fierce, with a lot of potential innocents getting caught in the middle of our long-term war, even now, the Templar's have played their hand once again in our fight to determine the fate of humanity… and the world."

"What do the Templars want?" I asked.

Jake looked at me.

"Control," he said, "control over humanity and the world."

"Well that doesn't sound so bad," I said.

Before Jake said anything, I facepalmed and shook my head, realizing my stupidity.

"What the hell did I even say?" I asked in shame.

Jake chuckled.

"So these Templars, you say they want control… but why do I feel that you're keeping something from me," I said giving Jake a look, "something important."

Jake paused before speaking.

"The Templars didn't just help instigate this war just to the Assassins on a tight leash," he said, "they're using it as a distraction. A distraction to keep the Assassins from looking for something valuable, something ancient, something powerful, something that will give the Templars along with Hitler and his forces a definitive edge against anyone who tries to oppose them."

"What is it?" I asked.

Jake reached into his pocket and showed me a picture of something… that I've never seen before, a type of metallic rock maybe?

"It's called The Crest of the One," he said, "a piece of ancient technology that came here hundreds of thousands of years ago. Legends tell that this crest is said to be imbued with some kind of unknown energy, that grants anyone who holds onto it, powers and abilities the likes of which this world has never seen before."

"And the Templars want this?" I asked.

Jake nodded.

"They believe that this crest is buried somewhere here in Europe, they instigated this war as a distraction so that way they can locate the site of the crest and unearth it," he said, "if they find that crest Ariela, they'll use its power to assume full control over the world."

I didn't say anything. It's funny, as much as all of this scares me to the very core, I'm not even shaking. I looked down at my hands and balled them up into fists, clenching them tightly.

"Well… That's just about everything I had to tell you," said Jake, "is there anything you'd like to say? Got any questions? Comments?"

"I want in," I said.

Jake gave me a look.

"Beg pardon?" he asked.

"I want to join you," I said, "I want to become an Assassin."

"Um… Ariela… Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked.

I marched towards Jake, getting close to his face.

"Jake… I just lost my friends… my home… my family… my life…" I whispered, "I am… _VERY_ … sure."

Jake paused, looking at me right in the face for a good three minutes until he shook his head and let out a sigh.

"Goddammit… Alright, alright, I'll… I'll see what I can do about you being inducted into the brotherhood," he said, "I can't make any guarantees though."

"Just do whatever you have to do," I said.

Jake nodded and he led me back upstairs. I know all of this new information is a lot to take in and all… but… this wasn't going to be enough to deter me.

 _"Whatever the future will entail for me when I become… inducted into the brotherhood, I know it's going to require a lot of training to be as good as Jake and his friends,"_ I thought, _"but I won't let that stop me. I won't be underestimated. I_ WILL _become an Assassin. And I will take revenge on the bastards who attacked my country and killed off everyone I've come to know and love. I vow it."_


	7. Chapter 6: Inducted

Chapter 6

Inducted

It was March 12, 1940; approximately five months have passed since the invasion of Poland. During that time, Europe, has seen much change: The Soviets have invaded Finland and thus initiated a Winter War between both countries, Jake and his friends, the Assassins; were deployed to search for any possible civilians they could take back here for safety, free from the oppression of the Nazis and their allies, Italy and Japan.

As for the Templars, they've continued to play their sleight of hand from the shadows, continually searching for this so-called crest as the war raged on here in Europe. Those dammed Templars… I haven't forgotten about them, not since my induction into the brotherhood, not since I encountered Abelard that day in Romania.

That's right, it was also during this time that I underwent grueling training to become an Assassin, time and again I had to push my body past its limits, I had to learn how to shoot, how to fight, how to climb, how to swim, how to escape, how to survive out in the cold, I learned how to hide in plain sight, how to locate and kill my targets with quietly and discreetly. Every time my body wanted to quit on me, I thought about my family, I thought about my sister Miriam and how those monsters took her away, I thought about Naomi and how she was shot down that night. Those were my motivators, my tools that kept me going, those two things that made me stronger, that made me faster, that made me smarter.

Jake and the other instructors showed me my targets, the collective group of Templars who had instigated all of this, who had planned out this entire conflict from the beginning: Elldrich Anton, The Grandmaster. Bruno Eberhart, A Templar Field Marshall. Emil Burk, an Assassin Hunter. Bertram Claus, a vicious Templar Ace. Hrodulf Hagan, another Assassin Hunter. Klaus Lanzo, a Templar Field Agent. And finally Abelard Berend, the Templar Commander. I thought taking these men out would be easy… little did I know that they had… "covers" so that none of Hitler's men could find out who they really were. And that cover, was they were a part of the SS Guard, which meant that getting to them wasn't going to be easy in the slightest.

I asked why taking them out wasn't going to be easy and… I got my answer: As it turns out, the SS Guard was Hitler's personal bodyguards, on reflection it made sense for the Templars to use that as their cover as they were highly trained soldiers much like the Assassins.

I didn't care, that wasn't going to be enough to deter me from killing them off one by one… especially Abelard.

"Ariela! A moment if you would," said Jake.

I dropped down from the pull-up bar and turned to see Jake walk over and hand me something wrapped up in a cloth. When I unwrapped the item, my eyes went wide with curiosity and awe. I held back a gasp when I saw that there was, not one; but two items wrapped up in the cloth.

"What… What are these?" I asked.

"Gifts," said Jake, "Master Rogers said he noticed a distinct glint in your eye when you spot these weapons on the racks when you began your training so long. That long bladed weapon is called a Karabela, a type of Polish sabre, and the other is called a Dirk, which is a type of dagger."

I looked at the weapons and then I looked at Jake, I smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you," I said.

Jake slowly hugged me back.

"Uh… sure thing kiddo," he said.

Just then, Jake turned to see one of the Assassins walk into the training room.

"Jake, our scouts came back from their extraction mission," he said.

"Yes? And?" he asked.

The Assassin stepped aside, I gasped as another Assassin limped into the room and fell to his knees, his robes were torn, his torso and arm were bloodied and caked with bits of dirt.

"What happened?" asked Jake.

"We were… ambushed, our team had managed to extract a good number of civilians out of Norway and we took them through Sweden," said the Assassin, "we camped out for the night and planned on moving through Prussia, right back to the base… but as soon as we crossed the border into Poland… we came under attack."

"From who? Who attacked you guys?" asked Jake.

"It… It was Burke… Emil Burke," said the Assassin.

I gasped as the Assassin fell to his knees and keeled over, Jake quickly went to his aid.

"Is he…" I started to say.

Jake checked his pulse.

"He's alright, he just lost consciousness," said Jake, "get him to the emergency room, fast!"

The first Assassin nodded and picked his friend up, carrying him out of the training room and towards the emergency room. Jake sighed and shook his head.

"So much loss…" he said as he put the palm of his hand to his face.

"Remind me who Emil is again?" I asked.

"Emil Burke is one of Elldrich's Assassin Hunters, much like Hrodulf, he's trained for one thing and one thing only: To hunt us down," said Jake, "those two have racked up scores of Assassin kills to their names, decreasing our numbers and making it harder for us to plan these skirmishes against the Templars. And what's worse, they're making these extraction missions harder as well."

I watched as Jake walked over and pounded his fist against the wall, gritting his teeth in anger. I walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What if I handle him?" I asked.

Jake turned towards me, giving a look, like I said something crazy.

"What?" he asked.

"What if I handle Emil?" I asked.

"Ariela, no, I couldn't ask you to do that," he said.

"Jake… Let me handle this, I've trained and trained and trained so I could hone my skills become an Assassin," I said, "I didn't sign on to just sit on the sidelines."

Jake gave me a look.

"Ariela…" he started to say.

I gave Jake a hard stare.

"I'm not asking Jake," I said firmly.

Jake lowered his head and sighed.

"Fine," he said, "I'll let you handle this."

I stepped back.

"Thank you," I said.

I went to my room and opened up my wardrobe, revealing my grey-white armored Assassin robes and weapons. I quickly slipped on my gear and examined myself in the mirror, I remembered whenever I looked in the mirror, I would see the face of a frightened girl who's gone through so much in her life… who has _seen_ … things in her life that she was never meant to see. I didn't see that same girl… I saw a strong, determined, confident young woman; a woman who was ready for her first mission.

 _"Time to show them what happens when they underestimate me,"_ I thought as I pulled my hood over my head.

I hooked the Karabela and Dirk to my belt as I made my way out of my room and towards the emergency room, where that Assassin scout was. I prepared to go talk to him; but I saw that his eyes were closed, which meant that he was possibly asleep.

 _"Damn,"_ I thought with disappointment, _"guess I'm going to have to find him myself."_

I made my way towards the garage, where my bike was waiting for me… oh, where'd I get the bike? Well, I didn't really "get it" per say, Jake told me that those bikes were primarily used by the scouts for recon missions, he said that it helps them evade enemy fire a lot better rather than a jeep. I asked if I could have one of them when I became a full member of the brotherhood and he reluctantly said yes.

"Hello old friend," I said as I walked over and sat down on my bike.

"Ariela!" I heard someone call out.

I groaned and turned, seeing Jake walk over to me.

"What, could it possibly this time?" I asked with annoyance.

Jake prepared to say something, but all that came out of his mouth was silence. I watched as he closed his mouth and gave me a small grin.

"Nothing," he said as he turned and walked back towards the base.

I rolled my eyes and fired up my bike, revving the motor and making my way up the winding ramp and out of the base, I rode through the forest and out into a nice, open clearing, I looked around and saw my home out in the distance, I looked up at the sound of planes flying overhead. It was official, the Nazis had completely taken over Poland… those dranie (bastards), every time I see them crawling around my blood boils in seconds.

 _"That Assassin said that he was ambushed at Prussia, which means Emil is either there, or here in Poland,"_ I thought, _"let's check here first."_

I made my way towards town, minding myself not to draw too much attention as I slowly made my way down the road. Sure enough, there was a couple of guards posted at the gate, I think it was a checkpoint or sentry post… I honestly couldn't tell.

 _"Looks like this is the part where I ditch the bike,"_ I thought as I hopped off of my vehicle.

I quickly made my way behind cover, and looked over at the gate, again, I pulled out my Springfield and took aim at one of the guards, my finger wrapped around the trigger as I looked through the site and took a deep breath.

 _"Better take them both out quick,"_ I thought.

Without wasting another second…

 _BOOM!_

Headshot.

 _BOOM!_

Headshot.

 _"Zsumować dwóch zabójstw (Chalk up two kills),"_ I thought as I made my way towards the gate.

Unfortunately, as I jumped over the gate and entered town, I saw two soldiers making their way towards me, thinking fast, I ducked behind cover again and waited for them to get close.

 _"Chodź dranie ... trochę bliżej (Come on you bastards... a little closer),"_ I thought.

I heard their voices as they approached my position. When I saw the first foot appear from behind the corner, I sprang up and stabbed them both in their throats with my hidden blades, killing them dead. I gave a satisfied chuckle before entering the city, moving behind the corner of a nearby building before climbing up to the roof top and heading deeper into enemy territory. Every few seconds, I stopped and looked down to see a squad of Nazis leading a good number of Polish people out of their homes.

 _"Te skurwysyny bez serca! Są rodziny! Ojcowie! Matki! Dzieci (Those heartless motherfuckers! Those are families! Fathers! Mothers! Children)!"_ I thought angrily, _"wiesz co? Nie, nie zamierzam pozwolić im zabrać tych ludzi do ... Bóg wie gdzie (you know what? No, I'm not going to let them take these people to... god knows where)."_

I drew my Springfield again, took a knee and prepared to fire when I heard a voice call out to me.

"Hallo! Du da drüben! Raus aus dem Dach jetzt nach unten (Hey! You there! Get down from the roof now)!" someone shouted.

I turned and saw a Nazi sharpshooter looking up at me, with his rifle up and aimed in my direction. I frowned.

"Verpiss dich (Fuck off)," I said.

Before he could even pull the trigger, I drew one of my knives and threw it at him, striking the man in the chest and causing him to go down. Unfortunately, as he went down, he fired off a few shots into the air which… alerted his friends.

"Was zur Hölle war das (What the hell was that)?" I heard one of them ask.

No time to pick these guys off, gotta go with Plan B. I slung my Springfield over my shoulder, drew my Karabela and Dirk and jumped down from the roof, skewering and landing on two Nazis from the back of the squad. Well that got their attention really quick…

"Attentäter (Assassin)!" one of them called out.

I jumped to my feet and slashed at the closest Nazi, opening up his stomach and causing him to bleed out fast, when I turned around, I saw six of the soldiers take aim at me.

 _"Fuck!"_ I thought.

I quickly grabbed the closest Nazi and used him to guard against his friend's gunfire. I sheathed my Dirk, grabbed my "shield's" fallen Maschinenpistole 38 and fired, killing three of my opponents and wounding one, the rest ran for cover. When I threw my "shield", I turned and was met with a rifle butt to the face. Though I was disoriented, it didn't take much for me to recoup, and before I knew it I cut the soldier's weapon in half with my Karabela and drove the blade through his heart, killing him.

"Hey Assassinen (Hey Assassin)!" one of the Nazi's called out.

I turned towards the pair that were ducking behind a building.

"Fang (catch)!" he barked.

I watched as he through a grenade at me, which I caught and threw it at a Nazi who was coming at me from behind. He was so caught off guard that he started juggling the damn thing in his hands before catching it in his arms and then _boom_ , got blown up.

"Fangen Sie dieses (Catch this)!" I barked as I pulled out my own grenade and tossed it at the Nazis.

Now I knew better than to wait for the damn thing to go off, so I took the opportunity to charge forward, slice the second Nazi's throat open with my Karabela and as his friend picked up the grenade, I stabbed him in the stomach, waited and then kicked him away just in time for the grenade to go off and kill him. I smiled under my hood.

"That was kind of satisfying," I said to myself.

I turned towards the Polish families, who were filled with confusion, fear, and awe at what had happened.

"Udać się! Opuścić to miejsce, to nie jest bezpieczne dla ciebie, dla nikogo z was (Go! Leave this place, it's not safe for you, for any of you)," I said.

They all looked at each other, talking amongst themselves in a hushed tone before preparing to go when one of them, a little girl, ran over and hugged me.

"Dziękuję, biała dama z kapturem (Thank you, white hooded lady)," she said happily.

I couldn't help but smile and pat the girl on the head as she followed her family as well as the other residents out of town. I turned and prepared to take off when I saw the Nazi that I wounded out of the corner of my eye. I walked over to him and drove my right hidden blade into his shoulder as he tried to limp away, then I slammed him against the wall and had one of my sidearms aimed right under his chin.

"Ich bin für einen Mann suchen, ein Nazi, sein Name ist Emily Burke (I'm looking for a man, a Nazi, his name is Emil Burke)," I said, "wo ist er (where is he)?"

"Fick dich (Fuck you)," he groaned.

I covered his mouth and shot him in the foot. The Nazi screamed in pain and was about to fall over, but I kept him on his feet.

"Lassen Sie uns versuchen auch in diesem (Let's try this again)," I said as he stopped screaming, "du gehst mir zu sagen, wo Emil ist, oder ich schieße dich in deinen verdammten Knie (you're going to tell me where Emil is, or I shoot you in your fucking knees)."

"Ich ... ich kann nicht sagen (I... I can't tell you)," he said between breaths, "er-er wird mich töten (he-he'll kill me)."

I shoved my pistol in his gut.

"Wenn Sie dies nicht tun, werde ich dich töten (If you don't, I'll kill you)," I said.

The soldier closed his eyes tightly and pointed down the street.

"Er ... Er ist hier in Lublin (He... He's here in Lublin)," he said, "er hilft wahrscheinlich mit der KZ-Einrichtung (he's probably helping with setting up the concentration camp)."

I felt my cheeks flare up.

"Was zum Teufel hast du gerade gesagt (What the hell did you just say)?" I asked firmly.

"Er ... Er ist wahrscheinlich helfende das Konzentrationslager für die Gefangenen eingerichtet (He... He's probably helping set up the concentration camp for the prisoners)," said the soldier.

I growled and pressed my gun to his forehead.

"Warte ab! Warte ab! Warte ab! Sie sagten, Sie würden mich nicht töten (Wait! Wait! Wait! You said you wouldn't kill me)!" he cried out.

"Ich habe versprochen, nie etwas (I never promised anything)," I hissed.

 _BANG!_


	8. Chapter 7: Tank to a gun fight

Chapter 7

Who brings a tank to a gun fight!?

I made my way through Lublin, ducking, dodging and quietly killing off any targets I saw patrolling the streets. Walking through my own home… the very place I grew up in… every moment I stayed in this living hell my heart… my heart ached.

 _"We didn't deserve this… no one deserved this,"_ I thought as I walked past building after building.

As I continued moving deeper into the city, I noticed that the Nazi activity was starting to get a lot thicker. Not wanting to risk exposure, I took to the rooftops and started moving from building to building, all while keeping an eye out for Emil. It wasn't until I leaped to another rooftop that I heard someone shouting nearby. I moved towards the shouting and looked down from the building I was on, my jaw dropped as I saw soldiers moving the residents into the back of trucks, among those soldiers, was Emil Burke, he was dressed in his officer's attire and keeping his eyes focused on the transferring of residents… as well as talking to one of his allies. I growled and clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms in anger.

 _"There you are,"_ I thought.

As much as I wanted to shoot him dead with my rifle, I decided against it, I wanted to look that fucker right in the eye as I drove my blade into his gut.

 _"And that's exactly what I plan to do,"_ I thought.

"Sie! Attentäter (You! Assassin)!" someone shouted.

Without even wasting a split second, I drew one of my sidearms and fired, shooting a Nazi sharpshooter in the chest and killing him. Big mistake…

"So ... Die Assassinen dich endlich in den Schoß aufgenommen, eh Kind (So... The Assassins finally inducted you into the fold, eh child)?" asked a voice.

I whirled around and saw Emil was looking up at me.

"Sie sind entweder verzweifelt um ihre Zahl zu erhöhen oder sie sind einfach nur dumm (They're either desperate to increase their numbers or they're just plain stupid)," he said with a snide smile.

I just growled.

"Sie wissen, sagte Abaelard mich, dass Sie ihn finden würden und ihn töten (You know, Abelard told me that you were going to find him and kill him)," said Emil, "wie geht das für Sie (how's that going for you)?"

I didn't speak.

"Ah, der stille Typ. Ich mag ein Mädchen, das gerade verschwendet keine Worte, es erspart mir die Mühe, ihre Gejammer zu hören (Ah, the silent type. I like a girl who doesn't just waste words, it saves me the trouble of having to hear their yammering)," Emil said with a laugh, "so Assassine, du hast mich gefunden. Planen Sie, mich jetzt zu töten? Oder wollen Sie dort zu stehen und meine Männer lassen schneiden Sie nach unten (so Assassin, you have found me. Do you plan to kill me now? Or are you going to stand there and let my men cut you down)?"

"Wo ist meine Schwester (Where's my sister)?" I asked.

Emil looked over at his friend and laughed.

"Ihre Schwester ist nicht hier in dieser Gruppe, sie ist ... irgendwo anders (Your sister is not here in this group, she is... somewhere else)," he said, "irgendwo wirst du nie ihr erreichen (somewhere you'll never reach her)"

"Dann denke ich, dass das, was ich mit Ihren bleibt zu tun haben, wenn ich mit dir fertig bin (Then I guess that's what I'll have to do with your remains when I'm finished with you)," I said.

I pulled out a grenade and threw it into the streets, landing right in front of a small cluster of Nazis and causing them to get thrown to the ground as it went off.

"Töten Sie diese Schlampe! Töte sie (Kill that bitch! Kill her)!" ordered Emil.

Emil took off, his men looked up and made their way inside of the building I was standing on. I tightened the hood on my head and made my way down into the streets, where I was confronted by more of Emil's soldiers. Without hesitating, I drew both of my sidearms and started squeezing off shots, killing a good five or six out of the ten that had their guns aimed at me as I ducked behind a dumpster for cover.

 _"I can't let Emil get away,"_ I thought.

I looked down and saw that I had two more hand grenades left.

 _"Better make them count,"_ I thought as I pulled the third one off of my belt, pulled the pin and tossed it over the dumpster after waiting a good three seconds.

The sound of the Nazi's cries filled the air as the grenade went off, which meant that a good number of them were caught in the blast, I drew both of my pistols, waited for a few seconds and then jumped to my feet, firing off a volley of shots at the enemy. I managed to kill off at least seven Nazis with shots to their chest and head before they retaliated and forced me to duck for behind my only source of cover again. I looked around and tried to find an alternate route so I could escape, luckily, there were two alternate pathways at the end of the alley I was in.

 _"Looks like I don't have much of a choice,"_ I thought as I holstered my firearms and made my way down the alley.

Taking a left turn, I ran all the way down the alley until I was back in the streets, I looked around again and out into the distance, I saw Emil making a run for it the moment he saw me. I gritted my teeth and drew my rifle, squeezing off a few rounds… I didn't drop the bastard! I didn't even wound him.

 _"Fuck! Too far,"_ I thought as I slung my rifle over my shoulder, _"looks like I'm going to have to chase him."_

I gave chase, my boots pounding against the pavement as I hounded after Emil through the streets, only to be confronted by a pair of gunmen. I drew my Karabela.

"Verschwinde den Weg (Get outta the way)!" I barked.

The Nazis fired, I moved to the left, ran on top of a car, leaped and skewered the soldier on the right, killing him. Before his friend could react, I drew Dirk and drove it into his chest as I rose to my feet, killing him as well. I kept up the chase, never stopping, never losing sight of Emil.

 _"I want to get the drop on this chump,"_ I thought as I sheathed my weapons and climbed my way up onto the roof of the next building.

Now what was meant to happen was that I would continue with the chase, what _wasn't_ supposed to happen was that I would be confronted by a fucking sharpshooter… no, two sharpshooters.

"Assass-"

But I had launched a throwing knife and struck the fool in the throat, sending him falling over the edge of the roof and to the ground with a loud thud. His friend threw down his weapon and cracked his knuckles, I rolled my eyes.

 _"I don't have time for this,"_ I thought.

The Nazi drew his knife and charged at me, as he swung at my throat, I jumped back, kicked him in the side of the knee and slit his neck open with my Dirk, I watched as he fell over and choked on his own blood, which inhibited his speech.

"Suffer… like my people," I hissed as I kept moving.

One after the other, I jumped from building to building, following Emil's trail until… I found something that gave me pause.

"Nicht zu schäbig Assassine, aber wie wollen Sie gegen so etwas zu bekämpfen (Not too shabby Assassin, but how do you plan to combat against something like this)?" Emil asked with a cackle.

I watched in… complete shock as he jumped inside of a tank. Not just any tank… it was a Panzer IV.

 _"No kurwa ... (Well… fuck),"_ I thought.

I turned and ran as Emil fired, blowing off a large chunk of the roof and sending debris flying everywhere. I was at a complete disadvantage now; I didn't have anything to battle a tank with! Especially a damn Panzer!

"Leiter in das Gebäude, bekommen sie ins Freie (Head into the building, get her out into the open)," I heard Emil say.

I groaned, he's sending up company. I turned to the sound of footsteps making their way to the roof, I drew my Dirk again, along with my Karabela and let out a short breath.

 _"This is what I've been training for,"_ I thought.

The door to the roof burst open.

"Hey Assassinen (Hey Assassin)!" someone called out.

I turned and saw the Nazis were standing a few feet away from me, they had all dropped their weapons and took out their knives, getting ready for the fight. I gripped my weapons tightly and got in my battle stance, when the first idiot made his move first, I moved to the right as he swung on me and sliced his back open with a swing of my blade, killing him dead. I turned and blocked an attack coming at me from behind with my Dirk, I kicked my next opponent away and dodged a series of knife strikes from another Nazi that came at me with his weapon.

"Sie würden nicht ein Mädchen in einer Haube schlagen (You wouldn't hit a girl in a hood)," I said as I easily stepped out of the way of each of my opponent's attacks, "Sie konnte kein Mädchen in einer Haube schlagen (you couldn't hit a girl in a hood)."

The soldier tried to throw a punch, which I ducked to the right, slashed open the side of his leg, grabbed him and used him as a shield to protect myself as one of his friends drew his pistol and fired on me.

"Ihr Jungs konnten nicht einmal die Breitseite einer Scheune getroffen (You guys couldn't even hit the broadside of a barn)," I said as I tossed my shield to the side.

Just then, the building rocked from beneath my feet as Emil fired again, causing me to fall over. It was at that moment that I knew play time was over, if I stuck around any longer Emil would bring this whole building down, with his forces as well. I turned back towards my "friends" and cut down three Nazis with good, clean thrusts and stabs as they charged at me with their weapons, their blood splattered across the ground as I sliced open their necks and chests with my blades. As I turned, I ducked as another Nazi swung his knife at my neck, when I stood up right, I took a punch to the face and a kick to the side of the ribs.

"Tch, good one," I said as I wiped some blood off of my lip.

The Nazi who punched me, threw another blow at me, which I dodged and drove my Karabela through his back. As for the Nazi who kicked me, I rolled to the left and sliced open the side of his knee with a swing of my Karabela, when I rose to my feet, I jabbed my Dirk into another Nazi's throat, killing him.

Suddenly, the building rocked beneath my feet again.

 _"I'm running out of time,"_ I thought.

As I sheathed my Karabela and Dirk, I drew another knife and threw it at another Nazi, striking him in the heart and bringing him down. I made my way over to the side of the roof, waving my hands so I could get Emil's attention.

"Hallo! Hier drüben (Hey! Over here)!" I called out, "Sie zielen darauf ab, wie Ihr Urgroßvater (you aim like your great-grandfather)!"

Well that was enough to make them fire again. I jumped back just in time to avoid the blast and made my way down the side of the building, where I then proceeded to make my way towards the tank and jumped on top of it. The hatch opened up, Emil poked his head out, I grabbed him by the scruff of his collar and gave the man a wicked smile.

"You missed," I said.

I punched Emil in the face to disorient him and I proceeded pull him out of the tank, tossing the man off to the side. I using my last grenade, I pulled the pin, dropped it into the German metal monster and closed the hatch. I hopped off of the Panzer, pulled Emil away and looked up to see the big beast go up in flames.

 _"That was satisfying,"_ I thought with a smile.

I dropped Emil to the ground, ejected my right hidden blade and drove it into his chest, causing him to let out a pained groan.

"Sie. Sterben (You. Die)," I hissed.

Emil looked up at me and tried to reach for my face.

"H-How? I don't understand," he said in disbelief, "you're just a child, yet you have the skills to rival even an Assassin Veteran."

I raised an eyebrow, I didn't know that this guy spoke fluid English.

"Maybe you didn't get the memo pal, but… I'm a bit of a fast learner," I said, "your time as an Assassin Hunter has come to an end."

Emil looked at me and let out a chuckle.

"Y-You're right, my time has indeed come, but… the Templar Grandmaster still has another who'll take my place," he said, "and when he catches wind of what's happened to me… he'll make you… pay."

I watched as Emil's life ebbed away right beside me, until he went still as a statue. I rose to my feet.

"będę liczył na jego przybycie (I'll be counting on his arrival)," I said.

I prepared to turn and return to the base when something made me… stop. I turned and looked down at Emil, not at his corpse as a whole, but at something else, something I saw that seemed to hold a bit of value in my eyes.

 _"This coat seems pretty sturdy,"_ I thought as I examined the article of clothing.


	9. Chapter 8: White hood

Chapter 8

Die Frau in der weißen Haube

I returned to the base, entering my mentor's chambers and showing him Emil's armband.

"Mentor, forgive me for interrupting," I said, "but I've come to report that Emil Burke is dead."

My mentor, Grandmaster Jasper William Rogers, looked up at me while he was in the middle of doing paperwork and gave me a small smile.

"Very good lady Ariela, you've done well," he said.

I smiled.

"Just doing my part for the brotherhood, mentor," I said.

"And how do you feel after making your first Templar kill?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Jasper rose from his seat and walked over to me.

"Jake told me about how you spoke to him in a rather… dark tone," he said, "he said when you uttered "I wasn't asking" it frightened him. He wanted to make sure, _I_ wanted to make sure that you weren't getting too caught up in helping out our cause. In other words, I hope you're not using all of this as a means of settling a personal vendetta."

I kept myself from frowning, instead I just shook my head and smiled.

"Of course not mentor, I merely see this as punishing those who feel they have a right to judge who is worthy to live in this world," I said.

Jasper gave me a puzzling stare before returning to his seat.

"Very well… I just wanted to make sure," he said, "you are free to go now."

I gave a quick bow and turned to leave, but I didn't head to my room, I went to the crafting area so I could take care of something… important.

"Hey there she is, the ever-so-eager Assassin," said one of the craftsmen, "how are you doing today?"

"I'm doing fine Gabriel, thank you," I said, "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"A favor? Um… okay, what do you need?" he asked.

I laid the coat on the table, Gabriel's eyes widened.

"Is this...?" he started to ask.

"A Nazi Templar trench coat? Yes, I pulled it off of Emil after I killed him," I said, "I want to see if you can… alter it."

"Alter it?" asked Gabriel, "alter it how?"

Before I could speak, Gabriel cut in.

"Actually, a better question would be… why did you pull this off of Emil's corpse?" he asked.

"My feelings towards the Templars are withstanding," I said, "my feelings towards the Nazis though are… mixed, a combination of fear and hatred. I think it's only fair that the enemy shares my… mixed feelings."

Gabriel looked down at the coat and shrugged.

"Alright, what would you have me do?" he asked, "got any ideas on how you want this coat to look?"

"Give it the traditional Assassin hood, with a white color and gold accents, and give it a patch that has the star of David on it," I said.

Gabriel gave me a grin.

"Ah, I see," he said, "you want to be seen as a symbol in their eyes. A sort of… spirit that was sent down from God possibly?"

I blushed.

"H-How did you guess?" I asked.

Gabriel smiled and shrugged.

"Call it a hunch," he said with a chuckle.

Gabriel looked at the coat again and pondered for a good minute or two before speaking.

"Alright, I'll get to work on the coat," he said, "I'll bring it to you after I'm finished."

I smiled and hugged him.

"Oh, thank you Gabriel," I said sweetly.

I left the crafting area so Gabriel could get started on the coat, as I made my way to my room, I felt my stomach grumbling and I blushed again; I just realized that I haven't even eaten since this morning.

 _"I'm starved,"_ I thought.

I made my way to the mess hall, where I grabbed myself a bite to eat. After I got my tray, I looked around to see if there was a good place for me to sit, I wasn't really looking for a good spot with some nice people to strike up a conversation with, I was looking for an empty table for me to enjoy my dinner in peace.

 _"There's a nice spot,"_ I thought as I walked over to a nearby table close to the end of the room.

I sat down and took a bite out of my… beef and rice mix… at least that's what the chef says it's called.

 _"Not bad,"_ I thought.

I looked around the mess hall and saw the Assassins and commandos mingling with each other, some of them swapped a few stories about the missions they went on, some of them swapped stories about the lives they used to have before the war started, some of them told jokes, and some talked about playing a game of cards when they got finished eating. It always struck me with such curiosity, to see these people mingle and shoot the breeze while there's a war going on right over our heads.

 _"How can these guys have such pleasant conversations with each other even while there's fighting going on?"_ I thought, _"or even when there's a high probability…"_

And that's when it hit me: There's no telling whether or not these guys would see each other again, so they cherish nights like these while they're not out on duty as if it's their last. I lowered my head and sighed.

 _"Boże jestem takim idiotą czasami (God I'm such an idiot at times),"_ I thought as I kept eating.

As I took a bite out of my yeast roll and looked back at everyone, I thought about my sister, every time I saw Miriam's face in my mind, I wondered if she was alright…

 _"God knows what kind of horrors my sister might be facing,"_ I thought, _"what if she's being interrogated? What if she's being tortured? What if she's been imprisoned? What if… What if…?"_

All at once, I could feel my hands starting to shake with anxiety. I gripped my fork tightly and started taking slow, deep breaths to calm myself down. I went back to eating my meal in silence, trying to push the thought of my sister out of my mind… but it wasn't working. It was at that moment I grabbed my tray and threw it at the wall, letting out a loud scream.

"Motherfucker!" I screamed.

The tray hit the wall with a loud thunk, I looked around the mess hall and saw a lot of people were looking at me, some of them gave me looks of confusion, others gave me looks of concern, the rest… gave me looks of fear.

"Hey kid, you alright?" someone asked.

"I'm fine," I said as I got up, "I'll… I'll just clean up my mess and go-"

The commando stopped me and said, "Why don't you go cool off? Clearly there's something that's eating at you."

I gave the man a small nod and walked back to my room, where I flopped down on my bed and let out a sigh.

 _"That's never happened before,"_ I thought as a gripped my pillow, _"why did I do that? Was it because I was thinking about my sister? Was it because of this war?"_

I buried my face in my pillow.

 _"Just sleep it off Ariela ol' girl,"_ I thought, _"just sleep it off and things will… things will be okay."_

The next day, I awoke from a… rather vivid dream. I could see them… I could hear them… those men I killed yesterday… those soldiers, I saw them in my dream, staring at me. The only problem was, they didn't appear human, their eyes were jet black and had ooze leaking from them, their skin was deathly pale, and they all still bore the wounds from where I cut them with my two blades.

I don't know how these guys do it, I don't know how they're able to kill so many people in the line of duty and not be… haunted by their own actions.

 _"I guess it's just something I'll have to find out myself when I get older,"_ I thought as I sat up in my bed.

"Morning sleepy," said a voice.

I turned and saw Jake walk into my bedroom, with breakfast on a tray for me: Biscuits and gravy with hash browns and a tankard of juice.

"W-What's this?" I asked.

"Well, I heard that you kind of had a bit of an uncontrollable outburst yesterday in the mess hall so I figured I'd save everyone the awkward atmosphere again by bringing you breakfast in bed," Jake said as he set the tray on my lap.

I blushed.

"Jake… Y-You didn't have to do this," I said with embarrassment.

Jake sat right next to me.

"Well… I just want to make sure that you're alright, killing at your age tends to have a bit of a… traumatic effect," he said sweetly, "wouldn't want you to go crazy from the trouble of horrible, horrible nightmares you know?"

I didn't say anything, I just looked down at my tray and took a bite of my biscuits and gravy.

"Thank you," I said softly.

Jake smiled.

"And by the way, it seems your actions haven't exactly gone unnoticed," he said.

I looked up at Jake.

"W-What are you talking about? Is that bad?" I asked.

Jake chuckled.

"It's alright, it's not bad… well to an extent," he said, "it seems a number of Nazis are… starting to fear you. The paper this morning is talking about the actions of die Frau in der weißen Haube, who killed off a lot of German soldiers in Lublin and killed the legendary Emil Burke that day."

I raised an eyebrow.

"The woman in the white hood?" I asked, "why do they call me that?"

"That's all they could use to describe you, just a vicious woman in a white hood," said Jake, "they said that they described your combat skills as lethal and efficient as a highly trained commando."

I didn't say anything, I just kept eating my breakfast as Jake continued.

"I must say all of that training really did pay off Ariela," said Jake, "I'm impressed."

I blushed.

"I… I just learned from the best," I said with embarrassment.

"Yes you did," said Jake, "but if I might make a suggestion, you might want to cool it with the lethality okay? I know… you have a grudge against Adolf's forces and everything as well as the Templars for what they did to you, but the last thing we need is for you to go from a stealthy Assassin into a cold-blooded killer, it's not good for the brotherhood and more importantly it's not good for you."

I drank my juice.

"Listen Ariela, the grandmaster has another assignment for you and he thinks it would be best that I accompany you on this one," said Jake, "that Templar Field Agent Klaus Lanzo has been giving us a lot of trouble, keeping an eye out on our movements and reporting them to Anton's last Assassin Hunter, Hrodrulf Hagan. He wants us to take him out and fast so that way we can have a lot more breathing room."

"Do you have any idea on where he might be?" I asked.

"Last time I heard he was on a mission with a small Templar task force to look for the crest somewhere in Turkey," said Jake, "they believe that due to past Assassin and Templar activity many years ago, they believe it might be buried there. The grandmaster says there's more, he mentioned a particular Templar that's leading the task force in the search for the crest… you know who that Templar is."

"Abelard," I said slowly.

I knew there was a reason why Jake was to accompany me, everyone knows about my grudge towards the Templars and especially the Nazis, if I were to go on this mission without a… "chaperone" to put it bluntly, my inner rage would cause me to make a reckless and stupid move that would probably cost me the mission, if not my life. In all honesty, I couldn't blame them.

"When do we leave?" I asked.

"We leave in three days," said Jake.

Jake took to tray from me and got up to leave when I had to ask.

"Jake… my sister…" I started to say.

"Yes?" he asked.

I wanted to ask if it was possible for me to go on a mission to find and rescue my sister… but I didn't know if now was a good idea to bring that up, especially since he said we would be going on a mission to hunt down Abelard and his task force.

 _"Plus, I feel like this is something I should handle on my own, I don't want to risk dragging anyone else in this,"_ I thought.

"Ariela, what were you saying about your sister?" asked Jake.

I shook my head.

"Nothing, it's nothing," I said.

"Alright," he said.

Jake left, I got out of bed and got a quick shower, then I got dressed and went to go see my cousin.

 _"Eli, poor kid, ever since he lost his family he's been quiet for so long,"_ I thought as I made my way to the doctor's office, _"I hope he's alright… come to think of it… how am I supposed to tell him? How am I supposed to tell him that Miriam's been taken?"_

As I made my way to the door, I gave a gentle knock before walking in and heading over towards the woman at the front desk.

"Can I help you miss?" she asked.

"I'm here to see my cousin Eli," I said.

"Right through the door," she said.

I gave the woman a thank you nod and went through to door to her left, inside were rows and rows of hospital beds for the civilians that were living down here, a lot of the patients were busy keeping themselves occupied by watching TV or talking to each other, a number of them were asleep though, trying to get however much sleep as they could due to whatever horrid ordeal they went through. As I walked down the rows and rows of beds, I came across… him.

"Eli," I said.

My cousin turned and gave me a blank stare, before a smile stretched across his face as he got up out of bed, walked over and gave me a big hug.

"tęskniłem za tobą (I missed you)," he said.

"Też za tobą tęskniłam (I missed you, too)," I said with a small laugh, "how are you holding up?"

Eli gave me a small shrug.

"Well… the doctors say I haven't experienced any Night Terrors, hence the reason why I haven't woken up in the middle of the night screaming," he said, "so… I guess that was their way of saying I should be fine."

"Okay… but how do _you_ feel?" I asked.

Eli looked down.

"I feel like I'm going to cholera wszędzie (shit all over the place) and rzygać (puke) at the same time," he said.

Eli and I sat down on his bed so we could talk.

"So… you're here but where's Miriam?" he asked.

I looked down at the floor and clenched my hands together, tightly.

"Ari… Where's Miri?" asked Eli.

"She was… captured… captured by the Nazis," I said softly, trying not to get choked up on my own words.

Eli gasped.

"No… No, no, no, no, no… Ariela… you can't be serious," he said in disbelief, "th-this is some kind of joke right?"

I shook my head.

"I'm sorry Eli," I said, "it's not a joke… Miriam was captured by the Nazis."

Eli looked down, already I could see the tears pouring down his face. I couldn't stand seeing my cousin like this, it's bad enough he had to watch his family get killed right before his eyes and now here he is, finding out that Miriam's been taken prisoner. It was all I could do, but pull him close and comfort him.

"Eli… I promise you… these-I mean… _I_ will do everything I can to find Miriam and bring her back," I said.

Eli looked at me.

"Y-You?" he asked between sobs, "why you? What do you mean?"

I paused for a good minute before speaking, I haven't even planned this whole thing out! How am I supposed to tell my cousin I'm a part of a group of warriors who've been around since the Crusades that are doing everything in their power to try and help us?

"Ariela?" asked Eli, "are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh uh… yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I said, "Eli… listen um… to answer your question… I can't really… explain to you what I mean by bringing Miriam back."

"But why?" asked Eli.

"Because I just can't," I said, "if I told you… you probably wouldn't believe me."

Eli paused, giving me a long stare before nodding.

"Alright," he said.

I gave Eli a pat on the head and prepared to go when I stopped and remembered something that I've been holding onto for quite a while now, something that my mother gave me when I was a little girl: My pendant. I unhooked the pendant that was draped around my neck and looked at it.

"Hey Eli," I said turning towards my cousin.

Eli looked up and caught the pendant as I tossed it to him.

"Your pendant?" he asked, "why are you giving this to me?"

I wanted to tell him that I didn't need it anymore because I have something else to give me strength, that I have something else that gives me strength… but then he would ask me what that thing was and then I'd have to tell him about how I joined them… the Assassins. My cousin doesn't deserve to be involved in the affairs I've put myself in, not after what he's been through.

"I think it's better that you hold onto it," I said, "something for you to have for whenever you feel… sad or lonely."

Eli smiled at me.

"Thanks cousin," he said.

I smiled at him and walked out.


	10. Chapter 9: Skirmish in Turkey

Chapter 9

The skirmish in Turkey

March 15th, approximately three days had passed, just like Jake had said, we would be taking a trip to Turkey so we could assassinate another Templar on the list, two Templars if at all possible. In all honesty, I didn't care if we took out one or both of them, just so long as I could get the chance to drive my blade into Abelard's gut for killing my family and relatives and taking my sister away.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, during that three-day time span Gabriel managed to finish up my new Assassin attire, and it was exactly the way I wanted it… and more.

"Gabriel… what did you do to my new armor?" I asked as I looked at it on the display stand.

"I threw in a few tweaks of my own," he said, "I figured that since this was new armor for you I thought, "Why not make it extra special for her"?"

I walked over to my new armor and put a hand on it.

"A vest?" I asked.

"Made out a light, yet sturdy material to provide you with added protection from sidearm fire, however, you're still going to be vulnerable to automatic weapons such as assault rifles, and high velocity weapons like sniper rifles," said Gabriel.

"Gauntlets?" I asked.

"Made out of the same material as the vest, allowing you to take hits from knives, swords and small arms fire," he said, "however, while the gauntlets won't wear down from numerous knife attacks, take too many hits from swords and the gauntlets _will_ start to wear down and leave your hands and wrists unprotected."

I looked at my armor and say that there was some kind of wrap that looked like it was meant to be wrapped around my neck like a scarf.

"Nice um… tiny scarf," I said.

"That's a snow mask," said Gabriel, "it's insulated and made out of the same material as the gauntlets and vest. I also added a pair of new boots that will make traveling through snow a lot easier."

I opened up the coat and noticed that there was a pair of holsters for my pair of Colts along with a belt for my grenades and a belt for my knives.

"Go on," said Gabriel, "put them on."

I turned and saw Gabriel had turned around, allowing me to slip out of my old armor and put on my new armor without the fear of being gawked at by him. When I had gotten dressed, I looked at myself in my bedroom mirror. I smiled as I admired my new attire.

"This is perfect," I said as I pulled my hood over my head, "this is just what I wanted."

Gabriel turned and smiled at me.

"I'm glad you approve," he said.

Unable to contain my excitement, I jumped at Gabriel and hugged him.

"Thank you Gabriel," I said sweetly, "thank you so much for this."

"Uh… s-sure thing Ariela," he said as he hugged me back.

"Hey, Ariela, are you ready yet? We're about to-"

But I turned around as Jake walked in and went silent practically in an instant, he looked at me, then he looked at Gabriel and finally back at me.

"Jake!" exclaimed Gabriel, "i-it's not what it looks like."

Jake put his hand up, Gabriel went quiet. I watched as Jake motioned for Gabriel to hit the road, which he did without question, when I looked at Jake, I saw something… something in his eyes that I've never seen before… was he…?

"Jake, I can expla-"

"Don't," he said with a small smile, "I… can see why Gabriel was doing some late hours in his office. I thought he might've been doing repairs to a lot of armor brought in by our operatives… but clearly he was simply doing you a favor."

I blushed with embarrassment.

"Are you mad?" I asked.

Jake shook his head.

"Why would I be mad?" he asked, "he just did you a favor and you gave him a hug right? I don't have a reason to be mad."

Jake turned and the walked out, I followed him through the base and towards our destination.

 _"That was weird, I've never seen something just appear and disappear almost instantly in someone's eyes,"_ I thought, _"could Jake might've been jealous or something?"_

We had arrived at our destination: An underground airfield!

 _"No way, why would he be jealous of me hugging Gabriel?"_ I thought, _"Ariela old girl, you're talking crazy."_

Jake and I boarded a… fairly large plane that was ready and waiting to take off. Inside there was a few other Assassins waiting on us, one of them looked like a French guy, roughly in his mid to late 30s, wearing a set of navy blue robes with white accents. Judging by the number of scars on his face, I could tell this guy must've been through some pretty intense fights.

The other Assassin was female, wearing a set of red robes with white accents, she appeared to be British… or Irish maybe, roughly in her early to mid-30s. When she looked up at Jake and I, she gave us a small grin and let out a soft giggle.

"About time you two got here," she said, "what took you both so long?"

"Save it Wendy," said Jake, "Ariela was just making a quick… costume change."

The French Assassin looked up at Jake and I, he let out a small chuckle.

"Nice new robes, didn't you get those off of that Templar, Emil Burke?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I thought as much," he said, "I must say, you don't look too bad in a trench coat, it suits you."

"Thank you," I said.

"Ariela, let me introduce you to Wendy Parker, a British woman who joined our cause after she heard about the tragic invasion of Poland," said Jake.

"A pleasure to meet you," said Wendy, "my condolences for the loss of your family."

"Thank you," I said, giving Wendy a nod.

"And this is Armand Belmount," said Jake, "a soldier of the French military who joined our cause after hearing about the invasion of Poland as well."

"Il est un plaisir de vous rencontrer, jeune Assassin," said Armand.

I blushed nervously.

"Musisz mi wybaczyć, nie mówię po francusku (You'll have to forgive me, I don't speak French)," I said, "jedynym polskim i niemieckim (only Polish and German)."

Armand smiled.

"That's alright, just so long as your fluent in English like me, all is good," he said.

I smiled back at him.

"Well alright then," I said.

I sat down in a chair across from Jake, who sat next to Wendy. I might not be expressing it physically; but on the inside I was actually antsy for the trip to Turkey.

 _"I didn't get a crack at Abelard because I didn't have the proper skills to take him on,"_ I thought, _"but I will now."_

"Pilot! Take us to Turkey!" Jake called out.

And with that we were off.

"Ariela."

"Ariela."

" _ARIELA_!"

I woke up fast, letting out a loud scream and looking around fast, only to see Wendy standing next to me. I frowned at her.

"What? What is it?" I asked irritably.

"We're here," said Wendy.

I blushed and looked around, seeing that Jake and Armand weren't onboard.

"Oh," I said as I hopped out of my seat and followed Wendy outside. Jake was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Hiya sleepy," he said with a chuckle.

I blushed with embarrassment.

"Um… hi," I said.

"Now that we're all here, we can get this mission started," said Jake, "everyone follow me and stick close."

And that's exactly what we did, the four of us made our way into city and took to the rooftops, leaping from building to building as we searched for the Templars in Istanbul, all the while, keeping an eye out for any possible sharpshooters. I didn't know much about Istanbul, but from what I understand, Jake said it used to be an ancient battleground between the Assassins and Templars many years ago… or as he put it, "A battleground between the Assassins and the Byzantine". I didn't really care what they were called, all I knew was that I hoped the Assassins whooped some major Templar ass during their time here.

…Sorry, I was getting sidetracked. Anyway, like Jake said, the Templars believe that due to this city's past history, the crest might be located here. I wasn't particularly interested in finding this artifact, this… "crest" before the Templars got to it first, all I knew was that if Abelard was going to be here, it was good enough reason for me to tag along.

"Sharpshooter," Armand pointed out.

Without even hesitating, I drew a knife and tossed it at my target, striking him in the chest and causing him to fall to his death. Jake turned towards me and smirked.

"Nice arm," he said.

"I learned from the best," I said.

The four of us kept moving from rooftop to rooftop, keeping an eye out for the Templars or any sharpshooters, it wasn't until Jake motioned for us to stop, and I soon picked up… voices.

"Sen bunu buldum emin olun?"

"Ben erkeklerin emin olmak için defalarca görüş keşif yaşadım. Onlar kret burada pozitif olduğunu söylemek."

Jake motioned for us to slowly follow him. We all looked over the edge of the rooftop we were on and saw them… the Templar task force… and the man who was leading them.

 _"Abelard Berand, you snake,"_ I thought angrily.

"There they are," said Wendy.

"I've never seen so many Templars in one spot," said Armand.

"What's the plan Jake?" asked Wendy.

"There's too many Templars, if we drop in from above, we'll be caught right in the middle of a massive firefight," said Jake, "I recommend that we follow them to the sight, see if the crest really is there and… Wait a second… where's Ariela?"

What Jake and the others didn't know was that while he was talking, I made my way down to the ground below. I wasn't going to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to get revenge on the man who wronged me by waiting on how we're going to plan out some attack. That's not how I work… okay, I wouldn't take it that far but still.

"Abelard Berand!" I called out.

Abelard and the other Templars turned and gasped when they saw me.

"Sie und ich haben eine Rechnung offen (You and I have unfinished business)!" I called out again.

Abelard gave me a surprised look and cocked his head curiously, then he gasped and started laughing.

"Well isn't this one big family reunion?" he asked, "if it isn't little Ariela. And it seems that you've found a calling."

"I'm with the Assassins," I hissed, "they taught me everything I needed to know on how to fight you guys. And while your plans are notwithstanding, I'm here for one thing and one thing alone."

"Oh? And what's that?" asked Abelard.

I clenched my fist.

"To see you dead," I snarled.

"Ariela!" someone called out.

In an instant, Jake, Wendy, and Armand jumped down from below, killing two Templars each and drawing their weapons.

"Assassins!" one of the Templars called out.

"Kill them all!" ordered Abelard, "leave Ariela to me."

Music to my ears. I drew my Karabela and Dirk, Abelard drew his sword and marched over to me, I charged and met him in the middle, our blades quickly crossed. This man might've spent, who knows how many years, honing his skills in combat; but that wasn't going to stop me, I was going to take him down… no matter what.

"You're fast Ariela," Abelard said as he blocked each of my hits, "but the question is, if you're good?"

Abelard swung at my neck, I ducked and swung at his stomach, forcing him to jump back and allow me to lunge forward, delivering a flurry of large sweeping attacks towards my enemy. Unfortunately, when I went for another sweep, Abelard stepped to the left and swung at my face; I jumped back… but I still received a small graze from his sword. The pain from the cold steel shot through my cheek, I started to feel blood trying to seep through, but I ignored it.

"My, my, aren't you the little Spitfire?" asked Abelard.

"Shut up!" I roared.

I lunged again, my blade colliding with his, the loud ring of cold steel echoing through the streets as I battered Abelard's defenses until he stepped to the side and swung upward. Seeing the blade coming up, I kicked it back down with my right foot and prepared to retaliate; only to take a punch to the face, which caused me to stumble.

"Skurwielu (You fucker)," I hissed as I spat out a drop of blood.

"Commander!" I heard someone call out.

I turned and saw a group of Templars come towards me, each one was wielding a small short sword in their hands. I growled and gripped my weapons tightly.

"I thought I told you-"

But I already jumped at Abelard's men before he could even get a chance to finish his sentence, swinging my blades wildly, I hacked and slashed at the Templars, blood sprayed from my enemies as my Karbala tasted the flesh from their throats and their chests. I turned my attention back towards Abelard, who seemed to have an amusing smile stretch across his face.

"It's you and me now," I hissed.

Abelard chuckled.

"No, it's just you and Klaus," he said.

"Huh?" I asked.

Suddenly, I heard a gunshot, something hit me from behind and I went down, letting out a pained grunt. I turned and saw Klaus, the Templar's Field Agent, holster his weapon and march over to me with his sabre drawn. I reached behind my back and pulled the bullet out of my back, I smiled seeing it looked smashed up… bad.

 _"I owe you one Gabriel,"_ I thought as I rose to my feet.

"It's your choice Ariela, you can either take on me or Klaus," said Abelard, "take on me, and Klaus's next shot might get you in the head… or somewhere else that's vital."

I turned towards Klaus, who had a sinister smile on his face.

"Take on Klaus, and you lose your chance at getting your revenge," said Abelard, "either way, I see this as a lose-lose situation."

I looked at Abelard, then I looked at Klaus, then back at Abelard and finally back at Klaus. I gripped my weapons tightly and cursed.

"Du bist ein toter Mann, wenn wir Wege wieder kreuzen (You're a dead man when we cross paths again)," I growled.

"Ich zähle auf sie (I'm counting on it)," said Abelard.

I turned to the sound of Abelard fleeing with a few Byzantine Templars. I shook my head.

 _"You'll get him again… You'll get him again,"_ I thought.

"A wise choice kid," said Klaus, "now… let's _dance._ "


	11. Chapter 10: Setting priorities

Chapter 10

Setting priorities

I engaged Klaus, our blades crossing with lighting fast precision.

 _Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!_

That's all I could hear amidst the battle going on all around the two of us. Klaus was good, but much like with Abelard, I wasn't going to let that stop me. I utilized my speed and agility to its utmost potential, dodging and countering each of his attacks with… negligible difficulty. When we got in a sword lock, I shoved Klaus back and drove my knee into his stomach, causing the man to double over and groan in pain.

"Hurts doesn't it?" I asked flatly.

Klaus tried to get some air back into his lungs before drawing his pistol and aiming it at me. Without even hesitating, I jumped to the left as e fired and threw my Dirk, knocking the weapon out of his hand and allowing me to charge forward and knock the fucker over with a shoulder slam.

"You won't defeat me," I growled.

Klaus jumped to his feet and swung at my neck, I jumped out of the way, right over towards my fallen Dirk and picked it up just in time as Klaus turned around and attacked again. Our blades locked again.

"You can't beat me kid," said Klaus, "I have more experience in fighting your kind."

I hope he meant Assassins, because that was enough to make me shove him back and strike Klaus in the jaw with a spinning kick. With my opponent disoriented, I threw down my Dirk, drew my pistol and fired two shots: One in Klaus's knee and another in his side. Klaus went down with a dull thud, he looked up and saw me walk over to him, as he tried to stand, I sheathed my Karabela, ejected my wrist blade and stabbed him in the ribs.

"Gah! Rrgh!" groaned Klaus

"You're a Templar Field Agent, which means you must have a lot of information locked up in that pretty little head of yours," I said, "my sister Miriam… Abelard took her from me during the invasion of Poland. Where is she?"

Klaus groaned and let out a chuckle.

"Th-That's it?" he asked with a smug grin, "of all of the information I have locked away… you want to know where your sister is?"

I grabbed Klaus by the throat.

"DON'T _FUCK_ WITH MY YOU PIECE OF SHIT! TELL ME WHERE MY SISTER IS!" I roared.

"Eh… Heh-heh, you stupid girl…" he said, "that's all you are… if you only want to ask me that… then you're nothing more than a stupid girl in a hood."

I gritted my teeth and stabbed Klaus again, ending his life.

"Spoczywaj w pokoju, skurwysynu (Rest in peace, motherfucker)," I growled as I rose to my feet.

I slid my pistol back in its holster, picked up and sheathed my Dirk and walked over to the others, who were looked like they've been through _all_ kinds of hell. Out of all of them… Jake seemed the most displeased.

"I hope… you're happy," said Jake.

I didn't know what to say, I just looked over at Wendy, who was clutching her arm; and as for Armand… well… he was on the ground, dead.

"Let's go," said Jake, "someone help me with Armand."

I walked over and helped Jake carry Armand with us back to the plane. The trip back was eerily quiet, I every minute or two I would try to turn towards Jake and say something to him; but as soon as I opened my mouth I stopped and looked back down at the floor.

 _"Way to go you idiot, you fucked up the whole mission,"_ I thought, _"I mean you_ really _fucked up big time. Not only did you not find out where this artifact was; but your actions also got an Assassin killed."_

Mind you though, this was only what _part of_ me was thinking. The other part said differently…

 _"Ariela, you had_ one _chance_. _ONE CHANCE! And you blew it, you could've taken Abelard, you could've found out where your sister was,"_ I thought, _"and instead you kill the field agent. Are you that stupid?"_

I let out a sigh.

"Maybe…" I murmured.

Upon our arrival back to the base, a squad of medics rushed over and carried Armand away, while another squad lead Wendy to the med center. As for me? Well… I made my way to my room and closed the door so I could change out of my gear.

"Smooth move Ariela," I murmured to myself.

Suddenly, I turned around fast as my bedroom door burst open.

"What the fuck was that back there!?" demanded Jake.

"Way to knock," I said.

Jake marched over and turned me so I could face him.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" asked Jake, "do you think that this whole thing is all about you Ariela? Huh? Do you really think this whole thing is all about you?"

"Okay Jake I'm not in the mood to talk alright? I get it-"

"No you don't," said Jake.

I stopped as I got ready to take off my robes and hang them up, I turned and gave Jake a look.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I said you don't get it Ariela," said Jake, "you don't get this at all, because if you did, you wouldn't have pulled that stunt. Do you have any idea how many Templars we had to fight through? Thirty! Thirty fucking Templars because you let your… personal vendetta get the better of you!"

"Well excuse me, if _I_ have a grudge against the Nazis... Templars or… whatever, for what they did to me alright!?" I snapped.

Jake looked at me and sighed.

"Ariela, look, I get it," he said, "I get it alright? They wronged you, they attacked your country, they killed your family and relatives, they took your sister away, I get it alright? But you've _got_ to curb this rage that's brewing inside of you."

"I'll curb my rage when Abelard lies dead," I said.

"Do you even hear yourself!?" demanded Jake, "are you so caught up in… whatever this is, just to stick your blade in that man's heart?"

"Shut up," I said.

"Ariela, if your vendetta isn't going to get yourself killed it's going to get others killed instead!" screamed Jake, "Armand is dead! Dead! He's dead because he, along with Wendy and I, were trying to keep you from getting killed!"

"Shut up," I said firmly.

"I thought I made a smart move by recommending that I induct you into the Assassins; but _clearly_ I made a bad mistake," said Jake, "as far as I'm concerned you should've just stayed here in your room and let us search for your sister for you and that way you wouldn't be such a liability."

That was that last straw.

"Powiedziałem, zamknij się (I SAID SHUT UP)!" I screamed.

 _WHAM!_

I punched Jake right in the face, tears poured out, my muscles were tense, my heart was pounding, I started breathing hard. I watched as Jake managed to regain his balance and look at me, blood ran down the left side of his mouth, which he licked up and spat out on the floor.

"I hope that curbed some of your anger," Jake said as he straightened himself, "The Grandmaster is _not_ going to be happy when I give him my report; but I'm sure you don't give a shit huh?"

My mood softened.

"Look… I'll see if I can convince him not to punish you for what you pulled in Istanbul," said Jake, "if I can't… well, you'd better hope he shows leniency. If I can, then the worst he'll do is give you a firm scolding like me."

Jake made his way towards the door.

"But no matter how this ends know this… you joined the Assassins to help us fight for a cause, which means you follow our rules and regulations. If you want to pursue this vendetta yourself, fine, you can do it yourself," he said as he turned towards me, "don't ever come to me for anything ever again Ariela… not until you get your priorities straight."

I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Jake," I said.

But Jake walked out of my room and closed the door, leaving me by myself.

 _"Dammit… I really blew it this time,"_ I thought as I sat at the end of my bed.

I looked over at my bedroom mirror, starring at my reflection for a good fifteen minutes or so in silence.

 _"I thought Jake would cover for me once I was inducted into the Assassins, I thought I would be free to pursue the people who wronged me… I thought I would be able to take my revenge,"_ I thought.

I looked down at my hands.

 _"Revenge… Jake's right, that's all this really has been about,"_ I thought, _"who am I kidding? What hope can I achieve if I'm mercilessly killing off these Nazis and Templars just to make myself feel better for what they did to me. It won't make my family come back… it won't make this nightmare end… it won't make me any better than them."_

I looked at my reflection again and felt a look of determination form on my face.

 _"I said that I wanted to be recognized as a symbol for my people,"_ I thought, _"a symbol for my people and for the enemy. I think it's high time I start doing that."_

I looked at my door and my expression turned into that of… concern? Yeah… concern.

 _"If I'm going to be carrying out my tasks, then I need to find a new superior,"_ I thought, _"someone to take me under his/her wing."_

There was one problem though, who would be willing to take me? I'm basically a troubled kid with a major grudge against a group of Fascist fucks and a lot of rage. As the thought of who my new master would be went through my head, I gave a yawn and stretched, it was late; after what happened in Istanbul all I could think about was going to sleep. Okay… so that wasn't the only thing I was thinking about…

 _"I really hope Jake manages to convince The Grandmaster not to punish me,"_ I thought, _"heaven forbid on what kind of punishment that man will have me endure."_

I slipped into my pajamas and slid right under the covers, letting out another yawn and turning out the lights.

 _"Don't ever come to me for anything ever again Ariela… not until you get your priorities straight."_

Jake's words floated around in my mind, like a swarm of annoying gnats. Just then, I felt my eyes start to tear up again, I gripped my covers tightly, squeezed my eyes shut and… I started to cry.

 _"Jake ... tak mi przykro (Jake... I'm so sorry) …"_ I thought, _"Matka ... Ojcze ... Siostra ... tak mi przykro (Mother... Father... Sister... I'm so sorry)."_


	12. Chapter 11: Broken silence

Chapter 11

How to break one's silence

I woke up the next day from a restless sleep, I sat up in my bed and rubbed my eyes, when I turned around, I was shocked to see an Assassin sitting right next to me.

"Um… hi," I said.

"Morning," said the Assassin, "did you sleep well?"

I shook my head.

"Aw, don't worry, you get used to those nights of restless sleep," said the Assassin, "ahem, I'm Kenneth Wilson, I'm your new boss."

I was shocked.

"M-My new boss?" I asked.

"That's right, orders from The Grandmaster," said Kenneth, "don't worry kiddo, I won't be a stricter superior than Jake. You're still young and you've got a lot left to learn, which is why you're going to be handed over to me."

I didn't know what to say, Kenneth continued.

"So… I hear you have a lot of anger built up anger inside, right?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Alright, come on," said Kenneth.

I raised an eyebrow.

"W-Wait, where are we going?" I asked.

"We're going to do a little bit of training," said Kenneth, "suit up and follow me when you get finished."

I hopped out of bed, threw on my robes and followed Kenneth into the training area, inside I saw a lot of the Assassins sparring with each other and practicing their swordsmanship, as well as their marksmanship and stealth tactics.

"Lydia!" Kenneth called out.

I turned and saw a young female Assassin going toe-to-toe with three other Assassins in the sparring ring. She was really good, her movements and the way she wielded her practice sword made me guess that she must've been of the advanced level for her combat skills.

 _"Please tell me I'm not going to fight her,"_ I thought.

"Lydia!" Kenneth called out again.

I watched as the girl knocked her second and third opponent on the floor with a series of dodges, counters, punches and kicks. I could tell that those guys were in a lot of pain based on the way they were moaning and groaning. Lydia turned over to Kenneth and I and she walked over to us.

"Hello Kenneth," she said with a smile, "who's this?"

"Lydia, this is Ariela, she's my new protégé," said Kenneth.

"Oh… Aren't you the girl who botched that mission in Istanbul?" she asked.

I felt my cheeks start to flare up.

"Watch it sister," I hissed.

"Now, now, girls there's no need to fight," said Kenneth, "Lydia, Ariela seems to have a bit of… trouble with controlling her anger while in combat. Would you mind showing her what you know?"

Lydia looked over at me and smiled.

"Sure," she said, "but no crying kid. There's no crying in the sparring ring."

I frowned as I slipped my robes off and changed into a tunic.

"I thought I was fighting another Assassin not a carbon copy of Jake," I said flatly.

Lydia raised an eyebrow.

"Pfft, you're not fighting me," she said.

Lydia turned towards another Assassin.

"Hey Joe," she said, "make yourself useful and fight Ariela."

I turned and saw an Assassin step into the ring, he was a tall guy, looked like he was in his early to mid-twenties, he had an athletic build, black hair and blue eyes. I picked a practice sword off of the rack and stepped into the ring, brandishing my weapon.

"So what exactly is this lesson supposed to teach me?" I asked flatly.

"This lesson is going to teach you how to control your anger," said Kenneth, "you have every right to hate the Nazis and even more right to hate the Templars for how they wronged you; but there's a difference in wanting to dispatch your enemies through means of justice and just flat out killing them off like sheep to a slaughter."

"Kenneth is right, you aren't the Templars and you sure as hell aren't the Nazis," said Lydia, "which means, you don't have to go so far as to become like them. Do you understand?"

"So this is supposed to teach me not how to be angry?" I asked.

"No, this supposed to teach you how to be in control of your anger," said Kenneth, "having a little bit of anger is okay, but too much can blind you, keep you from achieving your goals. You understand."

I didn't say anything, I just turned back towards Joe and brandished my weapon again.

"Now, begin," said Kenneth.

Without warning, Joe launched himself at me, swinging with all of his might and nearly causing my practice sword to fly out of my hand when he hit it. I didn't have enough time to collect myself, so I just gripped my weapon and started blocking one hit after another as Joe began to batter my defenses like some hulking madman. When he went for two sweeps with his weapon, I ducked the first sweep and rolled out of the way of the second sweep before jumping up and trying to get him from behind with a spinning kick.

However, Joe reached right around and blocked my attack before grabbing me sword arm and shoving me to the ground.

"You're relying too much on offense, scale it back Ariela," said Kenneth.

"I've got this," I said.

I jumped at Joe again, swinging my practice sword wildly, coming at my opponent from every angle, with lethal speed and precision as I tried to slip past his guard and get Joe where I needed to hit him in order to bring him down; however, it was a lot harder than I thought, it was like attacking an immovable object. When I went for a wide swing, Joe leaned back and punched me in the side of the ribs, which brought me down to one knee. I grimaced and grunted in pain as the shock from the blow went through my body, causing me a fair amount of pain.

"Goddammit," I groaned through gritted teeth.

"You're letting your rage get the better of you Ariela-"

"Shut up, Kenneth," I spat.

I didn't know what the hell I was even doing… What _was_ I doing!? Well, I didn't have time to think about it now, I had my back turned to Joe and when I turned back around, he struck me in the face with the hilt of his practice sword, causing me to stagger. I tried blocking the next barrage of attacks and attempted to follow each block with a counter; but as soon as I managed to do that, Joe fought back with a counter of his own and I winded up on the floor after taking two to three hits from my opponent. I wiped some blood off of my face and tried to stand when Joe kicked me into the wall of the sparring ring, causing me to go down on impact. The blow hurt… but… not as bad… not as bad as…

"I… I can't do it! I can't do this anymore!" I cried out.

Kenneth walked over and knelt down in front of me as I dropped my practice sword and sobbed.

"What's wrong Ariela?" he asked.

"I can't do this," I sobbed sadly, "I… I just can't do this… I can't be an Assassin! I can't be a symbol for my people! I can't even save my fucking sister!"

I jumped into Kenneth's arms and cried on his shoulder.

"It's this… this whole situation… this war… letting myself get drawn into some ancient conflict between two warring factions," I sobbed, "I… I just… I can't do this… I can't do this… And what's worse… I lost the one person who actually took me and my cousin in…"

I felt Kenneth wrap his arms around me and rock me from side-to-side.

"Jake owes me that drink now," said Kenneth.

I looked up at Kenneth, my vision was blurry from the tears that I had wiped away.

"W-What do you mean?" I asked.

"This exercise was never about controlling your anger Ariela," said Kenneth, "Jake told me about how you botched that mission in Istanbul, which cost us one of our own. He said he was about to make you go through this himself, but then you punched him and he decided not to be your superior anymore. So… after making his report to the Grandmaster, I went to him and we both talked. And that's when I decided to make you go through this exercise and not him."

"W-What was this exercise even meant to do if not help control my anger?" I asked.

"It was to get you to open up," said Kenneth, "tell someone what's been eating you on the inside. Which is why I went to Joe and Lydia, so they could help me put this whole thing together."

I looked up at Joe, who gave me a small smile. I looked over at Lydia, who also gave me a small smile. I looked back at Kenneth, who also gave me a small smile.

"So… What's wrong Ariela?" he asked.

Kenneth and I talked for hours after that supposed "exercise", I told him about the nightmares I've been having, the constant clawing of anger and hate whenever I'm out in the field and I see Nazis or their Templar allies. I told him everything. In the end, Kenneth gave me a pat on the shoulder and a nice laugh.

"Now doesn't it feel good to open up?" he asked.

I paused, then I nodded and said, "Yeah… Yeah it does. I guess… I guess being around so many people I don't know… there wasn't anyone to open up to."

"Well, why didn't you open up to Jake?" asked Kenneth.

I felt my heart race.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Why didn't you open up to Jake?" Kenneth repeated.

I shrugged.

"I don't know… I guess I was… I guess… I don't know," I said.

Kenneth chuckled.

"Ah, it's probably none of my business anyway," he said.

I managed to let out a giggle. It's funny… I can't remember the last time I've heard myself giggle… it was honestly kind of… shocking.

"Listen Ariela, you can't hold stuff like that locked away anymore alright? It's actually… not that good, it can have some bad results to one's psyche," said Kenneth, "if you ever need someone to talk to… feel free to come to me."

I smiled at Kenneth and hugged him, even letting out a small giggle as well. I have to admit… this was actually a really nice talk we had. I needed it… I really needed it.

"Well… don't you think that you should be doing something now?" asked Kenneth.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Shouldn't you be going to Jake?" asked Kenneth.

I paused and shook my head.

"No," I said.

Kenneth gave me a look.

"But I thought this talk would help-"

"It did," I interrupted, "which is why I've decided to hold off on finding Abelard… instead I want to focus on trying to find my sister."

"Ariela…" Kenneth started to say.

"I can't let my sister just… rot in one of those piekielne więzienia (hellish prisons) while I pursue one man when I know that I won't be able to catch him," I said, "by the time I get to her she'll be dead."

Kenneth gave me a look, then he let out a sigh.

"Dammit Ariela…" he murmured, "well… if you plan to look for your sister, how do you plan to pull it off?"

A sheepish look formed on my face

"I… Didn't think of that," I said.

Kenneth let out a soft chuckle.

"Well, you can't exactly go romping through war-torn Europe now can, ya?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Alright Ariela, as much as I want to talk you out of trying to look for your sister I know that deep down I'd be wasting my time, so here's what's going to happen," he said, "I'm going to help you."

I was shocked.

"W-What?" I asked, "help me?"

Kenneth nodded.

"Why would you help me? Wouldn't you get in trouble?" I asked.

"Because… the way you talked about wanting to find your sister… I could see a distinct glint in that eye of yours… a glint I rarely see in any Assassin that's your age," said Kenneth, "that tells me that you not only want to help our cause, but you also want to do more, that you want to go beyond… and I think that's why Jake was trying to hold you back so much."

I didn't say anything. Kenneth continued.

"Listen, I'll help you find your sister; but in exchange, I want you to do something for me," said Kenneth.

I started to feel a sense of concern creep up on me.

"Like… what?" I asked.

"I'd like for you to re-tool your training," said Kenneth, "I want you re-tooled and re-sharpened before you're allowed in the field again."

"Oh… okay, I can do-Wait allowed!?" I demanded.

Kenneth blushed and gave me a sheepish look.

"Yeah… you've kind of been suspended from field work after that stunt you pulled in Istanbul," said Kenneth, "so… hey, guess you can use this time to redo your training huh?"

I puffed up my cheeks and cross my arms in anger. I'll be honest, I almost _wish_ I was getting scolded right now instead of being suspended… way to go Ariela, it's like you've been grounded by your parents.

"If I do this… you promise you'll help me?" I asked.

Kenneth nodded.

"Upon my word as an Assassin," he said.

I let out a sigh.

"Alright… I'll do it," I said.

Kenneth gave me a pat on the shoulder and got up to go to the door. As he opened it up, I turned red almost instantly.

"J-Jake!" I exclaimed.

"Hi Jake," said Kenneth.

"Hi… Is uh… Are you alright Ariela?" he asked.

I tried to hide my surprise and remain composed.

"I'm fine," I said.

"Ariela… listen, I just wanted to come by and talk to you about what I said," said Jake.

I put a hand up.

"Jake it's okay," I said.

Jake gave me a surprised look.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, Kenneth and I talked, he told me about how… reckless my tactics have been and… I just wanted to say that it's okay," I said, "you don't have to come talk to me about anything."

Jake was confused.

"Uh… O-Okay," he said.

"And that's why I've decided that I want to stay with him," I said.

Now even I have to admit, I thought it looked like Jake just witnessed his first murder when I said that.

"Stay with… him?" I asked.

I nodded.

"I just think it would be better if I stayed with Kenneth," I said, "you know… just until I get my priorities straight like you said."

I shouldn't have said that part, because for a second, it looked like Jake just got stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake.

"I see… Well… I uh… I hope that you two have fun," he said with a small smile.

I watched as Jake turned and walked away. Kenneth looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't you think that was a little cold?" he asked.

I looked down at the floor.

"Look, I won't ask what was said between you two, I won't judge what you told him just now, or anything," he said, "it's just… well… he's not a bad guy Ariela, he's only just watching out for you is all."

I looked up at Kenneth and smiled.

"I know," I said.

Kenneth smiled back and walked out of my bedroom, closing the door behind him. I laid down on my bed and curled up next to my pillow… I don't know what brought me to do that, all I know is that after Jake walked away when I said what I said to him I felt a sudden… twinge in my heart… like someone grabbed it and started twisting it in their hands like it was a wash cloth.

 _"What's wrong with me?"_ I thought, _"why does my heart… feel like this?"_

I pulled my pillow close to my chest and squeezed it tightly, feeling the twinge get worse every second.

 _"Jake,"_ I thought.


	13. Chapter 12: Hang 'em high

Chapter 12

Hang 'em high

June 22, a lot has changed since that incident in Istanbul, and during my suspension off of the field, I had to completely retool my training as an Assassin as part of my agreement with Kenneth so he could help me find my sister. True to his word, he actually talked with someone who lent him a small group of scouts that would try to find out where the Nazis were holding Miriam.

I also underwent another form of training during my suspension too… Want to know what it was...? Can't guess? Well, I'll give you a hint: It involves being thousands of feet up in the air. Yep, I had to learn how to fly, apparently I performed so well in training that I was qualified to become a pilot… so now I'm the proud owner of a Me 109. "But Ariela, the Me 109 in a Nazi fighter aircraft, why choose that?" you probably ask; well let me remind you guys, I want these guys to see me as a symbol… a symbol of judgement to all of the crimes they have committed, to all of the innocent people they've killed, captured, or tormented in their campaign.

Or in other words, my plan still stands. You know what I'm talking about right? Letting my enemy share in my mixed feelings towards them, which is why I took the Me 109 as my plane and had it redesigned to suit my standards.

 _"I might not be a bloodthirsty killer like before, but I haven't let go of my idea of letting those guys share my hatred and dread,"_ I thought as I admired my fighter.

Now, enough about what's been going on with me, it's time we get down to the nitty-gritty part of this story.

I'm sure you're all have probably wondering-If you haven't already-why the hell haven't we taken the fight to the Nazis and their Templar Allies since this whole war started. Well… I took it upon myself to get the answer I needed from Lydia one day when she found me at the library and brought me to the shooting range for a little time together.

"There was a time, where the Assassins used to have more numbers… more numbers than we do now," Lydia said as she squeezed off a few rounds.

"More? There were more Assassins?" I asked as I squeezed off a few shots.

Lydia nodded.

"What happened?" I asked.

Lydia paused and let out a sigh.

"The war," she said.

I should've guessed.

"I'm not sure what Jake has told you Ariela… but we're on the losing side of this war," said Lydia, "for every Templar plot we stop, hundreds, maybe thousands of Assassins are killed in order to help maintain peace in this world. Peace… from Templar control."

"So… you're saying if we've had the numbers we'd be able to take the fight to the enemy?" I asked.

Lydia nodded. As I went back to squeezing off some more rounds, I turned to the sound of someone entering the shooting range, it was Kenneth.

"Ariela, I was looking for you," he said, "I have an important assignment, courtesy of The Grandmaster."

Kenneth handed me an envelope, I opened it up and looked inside to see what it contained.

"We have a target that needs to be taken out: Marshal Philippe Pétain," Kenneth said as I looked through the papers, "he's apparently a sympathizer for the Nazis and ally for the Templars."

 _"Uh-oh,"_ I thought.

"Apparently this man met with Hitler and the Templar Grandmaster to discuss the French government's role in the possible "New European Order" and now they're all buddy-buddy with one another," said Jake.

 _"I feel a double-whammy coming on,"_ I thought.

"It wouldn't be so bad, except we have an Assassin Headquarters there, and with Philippe allied with the enemy, the Templars could send in troops to hunt down and destroy the den," said Kenneth.

 _"Called it,"_ I thought.

"We can't let that happen, which is why we're sending you to take this guy out," said Kenneth.

"Wait," I said, "if I kill off the Marshal, won't someone else take his place? Or… won't the citizens look to the Nazis for support?"

"A government in the control of a man who's enforced harsh measures on his citizens much like those Fascist fuck heads?" asked Kenneth, "I'm pretty sure they wouldn't give two shits if their beloved Marshal was removed from office."

I know it kind of takes a lot to get me to laugh considering that the war took away my sense of humor… but that made me laugh.

"So what would you have me do?" I asked, "I mean, I can't exactly just go in and stick my blade in the fool's neck."

"Well obviously not," said Kenneth, "your best choice is to rendezvous with the Assassins in France, they have a detailed map of Vichy so you can make your way into Phillipe's building and kill him."

"So how would you suggest I get to Vichy?" I asked.

"Your best option is going to have to be on the ground," said Lydia, "we've got reports saying that Bertram and his squadron are going to be making rounds over France in order to find the Assassin Den, then Hrodulf is going to be moving in to do a little… "Spring Cleaning"."

I stiffened. Hrodulf Hagan… he was Grandmaster Elldrich Anton's second Assassin Hunter, if he's being deployed to clean up any traces of the Assassins in Vichy, our brothers won't stand a chance against him and his forces.

"Then I'll depart immediately," I said as I made my way out.

As soon as I opened the door, I heard Kenneth call out, "Ariela wait!"

I turned and saw him make his way over to me.

"On second thought… you might want to consider taking your plane," he said, "going by ground will take you a little too long."

I smirked and made my way out of the shooting range, from there I headed towards my room to gear up and make my way towards the underground airfield, I walked over to my plane and smiled, admiring its sleek beauty and hidden lethality.

 _"Hello beautiful,"_ I thought as I climbed aboard and fired up the engine.

I turned to the left and saw a group of engineers scrambling to open the doors so I could fly out.

 _"Easy Ariela,"_ I thought as I slowly pulled out onto the runway, _"you've done this a good amount of times already in training, you've got the hang of this."_

I unfolded the wings and gingerly lurched forward to give myself some momentum, then I pushed down a little more… a little more… a little more… a little more.

 _"Let's fly,"_ I thought.

I started moving at full speed down the runway until I lightly pulled up back on the stick to give myself some lift and then-

 _WHOOSH!_

-I flew out of the airfield and into the sky, like an eagle taking flight after launching itself off of a branch. I won't lie, my anxiety was doing so bad right now, I had to take slow, deep breaths to calm myself and then level out before making my way to Vichy.

 _"I can't believe it… I'm actually flying,"_ I thought, _"I'm flying off on a mission to a different country."_

I managed to crack a smile as I admired the scenery, but unfortunately my smile faded as I looked down and saw those Nazis in control of Poland, marching through the streets like they owned the place. They didn't own the place, they stole it! They stole it from the innoce-"

 _"Relax Ariela, relax,"_ I thought, _"remember, don't let your hatred towards the enemy blind you from your goal."_

And so I kept flying, letting out slow, deep breaths until I was calm.

 _"Just keep flying to Vichy, no detours, no fly-by shootings, nothing,"_ I thought.

Unfortunately, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of fighters approaching from a distance, I turned to the right and tried to get a good look at who was coming. I couldn't make out the colors at first; but as the aircraft got closer, I swallowed.

 _"Aw cholera, to są Me 109s (Aw shit, those are Me 109s)!"_ I thought with a panic.

I tried to keep myself calm, I was praying that those were just Nazis and not Bertram and his squadron. Sure neither choice is good; but unlike the Nazis, whom I could fly circles around without a hitch, Bertram was a Templar Ace who was in command of his own squadron of Templar pilots, which meant if they took a look and noticed that I wasn't one of them I was going to be in some deep shit.

 _"Just move a little faster,"_ I thought, _"but not too much, I don't want them to be suspicious."_

And so that's what happened, I moved a little faster as I flew over Poland and made my way towards the border of Germany. I looked back every few seconds, checking to see if those fighters were possibly following me, luckily they weren't, which meant I was free to pick up the pace and fly a little faster towards my destination.

 _"Alright, this doesn't seem so bad,"_ I thought, _"nice, smooth flying, no trouble, this is what I'm talking about. All I need to do is keep going at the speed I'm going and there shouldn't be any problems."_

Famous. Last. Lines.

No sooner had that thought came and went, I turned to the sound of a small squadron of fighters nearby. I turned pale, they were flying fast… very fast.

 _"There is no way that first squadron of fighters had radioed to their buddies and told them about me,"_ I thought.

I gingerly moved over to the left so I could at least catch a glimpse of what symbol was on the side of those fighters. I nearly passed out, those fighters… those 109s… they bore the Templar cross.

 _"O cholera, nie (Oh hell, no)!"_ I thought with disbelief.

Without even hesitating…

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

Gunfire filled the air

 _"Pieprz mnie (Fuck me)!"_ I thought as I made a hard left, spun and made my way down to the streets below.

I low, my aircraft coming close to crashing as I my way through the buildings, keeping a steady hand and a firm grip on my stick as I waited for the right moment to rise up into the air.

 _"Those guys might be Templars, but even they have to save face, can't risk-"_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _"Motherfucker…"_ I thought as I took to the air again.

The Templar pilots pursued me over the streets of Germany, firing off volley after volley of rounds as they attempted to swat me out of the sky like a troublesome gnat.

 _"I've got to shake these guys before the Nazi's get involved,"_ I thought.

I pulled back on my stick to stall the engine just enough for the Templar pilots to fly right past me. I smiled.

 _"Gotcha!"_ I thought.

I moved forward, my finger was on the trigger, my crosshairs were locked on my targets, I smiled with glee as the anxiety started rushing through my veins again.

"Mam cię w moich zabytków, to Templar skurwysyny (I've got you in my sights, you Templar motherfuckers)!" I thought.

I sprayed a hail of rounds from my aircraft, the vibration of my .50 caliber machine guns eating through one of the fighters and causing him to go down in smoke, plummeting to the streets and going up in a raging fireball as he crashed. I turned towards the other fighter and got ready to fire on him when I saw him and the other four pilots break off into teams of two. I didn't know which team to go for at first; but then I saw the two fights on the left fly forward while the other two flew right.

 _"They're making their way to France!"_ I thought.

I gave chase. I pursued the other fighters, that were heading for France as fast as I could, my finger was wrapped around the trigger as I got ready to squeeze and light one of them up with a hail of bullets. Suddenly, I flinched as the air started to become filled with the sight of puffs of smoke. The enemy was firing off flak.

 _"This trip just keeps getting better,"_ I thought as I moved through the flak barrage, _"I have a very strong feeling that the Templars talked Hitler into establishing AA guns in the streets because this kind of thing is dangerous, I mean what if I fly low and..."_

And that was when a foreign thought entered my mind and I started flying low, sure enough, some of the flak actually kept firing while the other guns stopped. I smiled.

 _"I knew it,"_ I thought as I made my way into the open plains.

I went higher and flew faster, chasing after the fleeing fighter pilots and keeping my finger wrapped around the trigger, getting ready to squeeze.

 _"Come on, come on, come on!"_ I thought.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

In range.

 _"Light 'em up!"_ I thought.

I pulled the trigger.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

My machine guns rumbled to life as a sprayed the enemy with a storm of gunfire from my aircraft. The pilots started to break off, seeing bits of their planes start flying off from a few stray hits, I didn't know which one to go for, so I chased after the pilot that went down low over some trees.

 _"Śmierć znad skurwysyn (Death from above motherfucker)!"_ I thought.

As I prepared to squeeze, I whirled around as I saw a few bullets fly past me and hit my plane. The other pilot was one my back!

 _"Uh-oh, I got cocky,"_ I thought.

Not seeing any other option, I turned left, heading toward a nearby farm, with the other pilot on my tail, his Me 109 spraying a hail of bullets at me from behind. I felt my muscles tense up as the bullets started to make their mark a little bit more, I looked to my left and to my right and saw a few holes in my wings.

 _"I need to dodge this guy,"_ I thought, _"but how?"_

I had to think fast, I didn't really see how I could fly low, that would only give my opponent a chance to get me from above and tear my plane to pieces, I couldn't fly high either, and I couldn't exactly try to evade. Unless…

 _"If I can time it just right,"_ I thought.

I made a hard right turn and looked out to see the other pilot making his way to France. I let out a few quick breaths, before leveling out and flying straight towards my desired target, I knew deep down I had one shot at this, so I had to make sure that I made it count; because if I wasn't able to pull it off, I was a dead girl.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

The other Templar fired on me again, I lurched ahead, trying to give myself some space between me and my opponent.

 _"I've got to hurry!"_ I thought.

I flew faster and faster, all while trying to keep my plane intact for the trip to France, drawing closer and closer towards my target.

 _"Closer… closer,"_ I thought, _"wait for it."_

I was right where I needed to be, in a flash, I flew past the Templar that was trying to escape; causing him to swerve right as his friend flew right past him. I smiled.

 _"I have you now!"_ I thought.

I flew straight up, turned around and dove straight down, I saw the Templars struggling to get their bearings and find out where I was. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to give them a chance to recover from my little stunt; because as soon as I saw them starting to level out…

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Boom!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Boom!_

Two corpses in one grave.

 _"And that's how it's done,"_ I thought with a smile.

I watched as the two planes went down in a fiery ball of smoke and shrapnel, crashing into the ground and being reduced to nothing more than billowing heaps of devastation. With a satisfied giggle, I made my way to France... however, as I enjoyed my first dogfight victory, a thought entered my head.

 _"I hope those other pilots that escaped didn't warn Hrodulf that I'm coming,"_ I thought, _"if they did, then I'm going to be in trouble."_


	14. Chapter 13: Intertwined objectives

Chapter 13

Intertwined objectives

It was the evening, I arrived a little way away from the border of Vichy France, I didn't want to risk landing near the border of Vichy, heaven forbid that Hrodulf was warned about my arrival and he had his forces waiting for me to make my approach.

 _"I'd better get moving,"_ I thought as I pulled my hood over my head, _"there's no telling how long I have until Hrodulf starts his hunt."_

I made my way towards the border, all while keeping an eye out for any possible military vehicles making their way towards France… er, Vichy France, or… something… whatever, you don't care! Anyway, as I got near the border I stopped and made my way towards cover. For a second, I could've sworn that I saw some… moving shadows. I raised an eyebrow and focused on the shadows moving in the darkness, in an instant, my vision brightened just enough for me to make out a number of sentries patrolling the border of Vichy.

 _"Just as I thought,"_ I thought as I drew my Springfield.

I looked at how far each sentry was as I cocked my weapon and got in a good sharpshooter position.

 _"Okay, judging by their patrol patterns as well as how far they are, my best option is to take out the one in the middle, when the others come over to investigate I'll take them all out fast,"_ I thought, _"so with that I say…"_

I fired. Within a split second, the bullet struck the sentry in the head causing his brain matter to go spraying everywhere, I watched as he flailed for a _very_ brief moment and fall over with a thud.

 _"Headshot,"_ I thought with a grin.

Sure enough, I saw the other sentries make their way over to their friend as fast as they could, I got ready to fire again, never even shifting from the position I was in, watching from where I was as my targets had approached the "Kill zone".

 _"Three for the price of one,"_ I thought.

BANG!

 _Click-clack_

BANG!

 _Click-clack_

BANG!

Headshots on all of them. I smiled.

 _"O tak (Hell yeah)!"_ I thought as I slung my weapon on my back.

I hurried past the border, running past my fallen targets (turns out they were Italians and not Templars… heh-heh, forgot to mention that Italy had entered the war yesterday and claimed a piece of south France) and entering enemy territory. Now came the hard part: Finding the Assassin Den.

 _"I need to be careful,"_ I thought as I pulled my mask up, _"if anyone catches me scampering around, I'm a dead girl."_

I moved swiftly, under the cover of night, ducking out of the sight of enemy patrols and small scouting parties that had made camp.

 _"For a small piece of territory, these guys sure were quick to set up shop,"_ I thought as I moved out of enemy territory.

No sooner had I made my way out of the Italian's turf and into Vichy, I was pulled behind a corner and had a knife at my throat.

"Dica il suo nome sconosciuto, o ti ammazzo qui (State your name stranger, or I'll kill you right here)," he hissed.

"Ja ... ja nie mówię po włosku (I... I don't speak Italian)," I said nervously.

The man paused for a minute, then he looked me right in the eyes and released me.

"My apologies," he said as he removed his hood, "I saw that you were wearing a Nazi trench coat and I thought…"

I didn't respond to the man about how he had a knife to my throat, I was too focused on the fact that, not only he was an Italian (cute jeden zbyt (a cute one too) might I add); but he was also an Assassin!

"You're an Assassin," I said, "but… I thought that the Assassins in Italy were wiped out a long time ago or something."

The Assassin laughed and gave me a pat on the head.

"I don't know what rumors you've been hearing, but we're all still very much alive," he said with a smile, "allow me to introduce myself, my name is Adriano Carmine."

"I'm Ariela. Ariela Liora," I said.

Adriano looked around and pulled his hood up over his head.

"We've got enemies patrolling the streets, we aren't safe out here," he said, "are you heading to Vichy?"

"Yeah, are you?" I asked.

Adriano nodded and took off into the night, I followed him.

"What brings you into Vichy?" I asked as I followed him up onto the top of a nearby roof.

"I heard that an Assassin Hunter was on his way here to track down and kill off our brothers here in France," said Adriano, "I'm here to put a stop to that and to also see if our brothers wouldn't mind merging dens. What brings you here?"

"I'm here to kill a Nazi collaborator by the name of Philippe Pétain," I said, "and to also kill, said Assassin Hunter."

Adriano stopped as we made our way across the roof we were on and dove for cover, I followed suite. I would say I was confused; however, as I looked around, I saw a sniper in a nearby building.

"You're here to kill Philippe Pétain? _The_ Marshal Philippe Pétain?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Yeah… why do you sound so surprised?" I asked.

Adriano chuckled. I raised an eyebrow.

"So the grandmaster spoke true," he said, "our brothers might actually know its whereabouts."

"Know the whereabouts of what?" I asked as I followed Adriano across to another rooftop.

"The artifact," said Adriano, "my grandmaster believes that our brothers here might know the whereabouts of the artifact, which is why I was sent here to kill the Assassin Hunter, because my grandmaster believes he's here to hunt down our brothers and steal the intel involving the artifacts location. I don't know about your reasoning for being sent here to kill the marshal and I'm not going to ask; but… I think that there may be a way for us to help each other."

Adriano and I made our way to the next building and were quick to head down the fire escape as we heard patrols approaching.

"Help each other?" I asked.

"Of course," said Adriano, "I'm not sure what your superiors had told you; but the marshal is… kind of under heavy guard."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Czy mnie sarnie (Are you shitting me)?" I asked in disbelief.

"I wish," said Adriano, "but from what my superiors informed me, some sort of deal went down between Adolf, Elldrich and Philippe and now we've got Templars backing Phillipe's forces while Phillipe himself is under heavy guard."

I frowned and kept following Adriano down to streets. I don't know if Kenneth didn't tell me this because he wanted to send me to my death or that he didn't know if Phillippe was going to be under Templar protection; either way I knew if I was going to get to my target I would have to get some back-up.

"Is that all you know about Philippe? That he's under Templar protection?" I asked.

"That much I know," Adriano said as he rounded the corner, "so, what do you say Ariela, want to team up?"

Adriano held out a hand and smiled. I looked down and hesitated for a second, not just because I didn't want to team up… but because… well… the memories…

 _"Armand is dead! Dead! He's dead because he, along with Wendy and I, were trying to keep you from getting killed!"_

 _"Ariela, if your vendetta isn't going to get yourself killed it's going to get others killed instead!"_

I started to feel tears blur my vision, my heart grew heavy, I started to sob.

"Armand… I'm so sorry," I murmured sadly.

"Whoa, whoa, hey," said Adriano, "what's wrong Ariela? Did I say something wrong?"

I shook my head.

"N-No," I said as I wiped my eyes, "it's nothing… just… just… it's personal."

Adriano drew his hand back.

"Well alright… I guess… I guess teaming up isn't such a hot idea then?" he asked.

I didn't say anything.

"Right… let's just keep going," he said.

Adriano and I kept moving through the streets, still keeping to the shadows as we made our way towards our destination: The French Assassin Den. As it turns out, these guys were hiding out in the last place that the Templars would think to look…

"A church? Why here?" I asked, "this is possibly the most obvious hiding place ever."

"Exactly, which is why the Templars would never think that they would hide in such an obvious place like this," said Adriano.

We walked up towards the double doors, I grabbed the handle and gave a light pull. The door, it was locked.

"Locked," I said, "hmm… key… key… what we need is a k-"

I stopped and noticed that there was something odd about the lock on the door, it didn't look like it was fit for a key, more like something slim… slim and…

"Duh," I said as I ejected my right wrist blade.

I shoved the blade into the slot and gave the lock a few quick twists before hearing a distinct _click_ noise. I smiled.

"Bingo," I said.

Adriano and I entered the church and closed the door behind us, locking it of course before we moved deeper inside.

"Be careful," said Adriano, "there's no telling if these guys might mistake us for intruders."

"Intruders? Why would we be mistake as intruders? I mean we have the hoods for-"

But before I could finish, I was interrupted after a dart came out of nowhere and hit me right in the neck. I let out a pained yelp and pulled the dart out, examining it.

"Where the hell did this come from?" I asked.

Suddenly, fear started to creep up on me, as I noticed that the dart bore blue feathers on the end of it. You see, when it comes to being an Assassin, you have to know a lot of key things if you want to survive out here in the field; and one of those things is learning the difference between a poison dart and a sleeper dart.

Guess which one I got hit with?

"Son of a… bitch," I said groggily as I fell over.

The last thing I remember… before my vision went black… was hearing Adriano call out my name.

"Wake up!"

"I said wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself inside of a fairly large room, sitting right next to me was an Assassin, late twenties, brown hair, wearing a set of navy blue robes with white accents… navy blue robes with white accents…

"Who… Who are you?" I asked.

"I was hoping to ask you the same thing," said the Assassin.

I watched as he took off his robes and looked at me. His face… I know a face like that anywhere.

"But since you asked first, I guess I can tell you," he said, "my name is André. André Belmount, I'm a member of the Assassins."

I did _not_ want to hear that last part.

"And who might you be?" he asked.

"I… I'm Ariela," I said slowly, "Ariela Liora."

"I thought so," said André, "you're the one that botched that mission in Turkey and got my brother killed."

Ouch… right in the heart…

"Right… Look, André I'm really sorry-"

Without even hesitating, he slapped me. Now I know it was very uncalled for and all, but even I have to admit that I deserved it.

"Sorry doesn't bring my brother back, not after your pursuit to get revenge on one Templar cost him his life," he growled.

I didn't say anything, I just put my hand on my face and looked at him.

"I don't know why you're here Ariela and by rights I should kill you for what your actions have cost," hissed André, "but I'm not going to and do you know why?"

I didn't respond.

" _Do_ you!?" he demanded.

"N-No," I said.

"Because killing you wouldn't make me feel better," said André, "just like killing that Templar wouldn't have made you feel better from… whatever it is you're going through."

"André… I'm sorry-"

He slapped me again, I let out a yelp.

"Stop saying sorry!" he snapped, "I don't want your fucking apology."

"Alright fine," I said.

André let out a long breath and gave me a hard stare.

"Now, normally this would be the part where I tell you to get the hell out, since _I_ personally think that you shouldn't be welcome due to your reckless behavior," he said flatly, "but… we received word that we would be getting some support."

I didn't say anything, André continued.

"So… I understand you're here to assist us with our little predicament with that Assassin Hunter and that collaborator?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I… Don't suppose you have information on what we may be facing," I said, "I mean, with a someone like the marshal collaborating with the Nazis and Templars, there's a chance that he's going to be under heavy guard."

"Actually we do have information, it's all the more reason why we requested aid," said André, "our numbers are too few and the enemy is all around us, it's hard to find those we can trust and invite into our cause. The last time we invited someone to our cause we lost some good Assassins."

"Huh? How?" I asked.

"The person we invited turned out to be an agent for the Templars that was sent to try and root us out and eliminate us," said André, "fortunately we hunted the Enfoiré (fucker) down and ended him."

 _"And everyone got on to me about my thirst for revenge,"_ I thought.

I watched as André reached into his coat and pulled out, what I suspected to be, a map. He unrolled it out onto the table and motioned for me to come over.

"Phillipe is here, in Vichy, and we are here in the city of Avighon," said André, "all of Vichy is crawling with Phillipe's forces and Templar allies. What we've been trying to do lately is find a way to get to Vichy without drawing any attention from the patrols."

"Well, what's wrong?" I asked.

"From Riom, onward, security is tight," said André, "that dammed hunter had Tanks posted from there all the way to Vichy," said André, "it wouldn't be so bad, except the tanks are Panzer IVs, and they've claimed the lives of many Assassins. We tried everything to get past those metal monsters, we've tried moving under the cover of darkness, we've tried drawing their fire with a few scouts, nothing's worked."

I looked at the map and pondered for a minute or two before speaking.

"Have you tried commandeering a tank?" I asked.

André gave me a look, if he was preparing to slap me, I hope he knows that I'm _very_ much prepared to counter his slap with a punch to his smug little jaw.

"Are you crazy?" he asked, "commandeering one of those Panzers? That's suicide."

I frowned.

"Suicide? How is commandeering a Panzer suicide?" I asked, "think about it André, if we manage to commandeer a couple of Panzers, that'll be all the cover we need in order to get to Vichy, find Phillipe and put him down."

"Well that's the thing, it's not like these tanks are close by, they're actually pretty far apart," said André, "the moment we take one another one's going to fire out of nowhere right at us."

"Then we're going to have to do it in teams," I said, "we'll group up in multiple teams and snag a couple of Panzers. Once that's done we'll regroup and move in on Vichy."

André paused before letting out a sigh.

"Okay, but what do we do about that Assassin Hunter? If he catches wind and finds out a few of his Panzers were swiped, he'll come hounding after us like a Germa-"

I snorted. André frowned.

"Like a bloodhound," he said as he facepalmed.

I smiled.

"Don't worry, you leave the hunter to me," I said, "I killed the first one, I'll kill the second one."

André crossed his arms and looked at me. I sighed and shook my head.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just want to believe that your plan is solid," he said.

I couldn't take it anymore, so I went off.

"Okay look, I get it, alright!? I get it! I let revenge blind me! I got your brother killed! I shouldn't be here! I get it!" I exclaimed, "now, I don't know if you're acting like a complete dupek (asshole) just because I got your killed brother and I don't care! You can hate me! You can beat up on me! You can spite me! You can do what you want!"

"Now wai-"

"Shut up!" I snapped, "now listen, I don't know what's keeping you from putting your anger aside just this once so I can complete this mission and I don't care. So know this, we can either do this mission like adults, or we can settle this right here right now. Because I'm not sure if you know André, but your brother's death… it's been haunting me… it's been haunting me ever since that fateful day."

André and I stood in the room in complete silence for a good five minutes, I didn't know if he was debating on whether or not to slap me or if he was just letting everything that I just said soak in. Finally, he walked over and did something unexpected: He hugged me.

"Je vous remercie," he said as he pulled away.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I said thank you," said André.

I was confused.

"Why thank me?" I asked.

André smirked.

"For telling me what I needed to here," he said.

André rolled up the map, turned and walked towards the door.

"I wasn't mad about you for getting my brother killed," he said, "I was mad… because I thought you had become so caught up in revenge that you didn't feel any remorse for what happened."

André turned towards me.

"I just needed to hear that you did feel remorse and that you weren't just some heartless killer," he said, "and you gave that to me. So… thanks."

I don't know why, but that was enough to make me smile a little.

"Get some rest kid, we have a big day tomorrow," said André.

I nodded as he walked out of the room.


	15. Chapter 14: Hunter and Hunted

Chapter 14

Hunter and Hunted

It was the next day, I awoke from a long, restful sleep. I sat up in bed and stretched before turning and seeing a note next to my gear, along with a plate of food. I hopped out of bed and walked over to see what the note said.

"Waiting outside for you," it read.

I picked up the plate of food and looked down to see what it was.

 _"French toast,"_ I thought as the aroma wafted in my nose.

I sat down at my bed and enjoyed my warm meal before setting my dishes over onto the dresser in my room and getting geared up to go. I walked out of the church and found myself faced with a few members of the Assassins who were hiding out in the church, among them was Adriano and André.

"Morning sleepyhead," said Adriano.

"Hi guys," I said, "so… what's the plan for the day?"

"We're going to go through with your plan," said André.

I was shocked.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, not necessarily "go through" with your plan," said Adriano, "but more along the lines of, we're… modifying it."

I raised an eyebrow and put a hand on my hip.

"Modifying it how?" I asked.

"Well, we were originally going to go with your plan, you know with using multiple teams to snag some tanks. However, I thought we'd change that up a bit, and instead have you take a team of Assassins to Hrodulf Hagan's base to kill him off and snag a few tanks of your own," said André, "after that we'll meet back here and move in towards Vichy."

I felt my heart fall to my stomach. My own team!? Is he insane!? Giving me my own team!? Why is he trying to… trying to… trying… why!?

"M-My own team?" I asked, "give me my own team?"

André nodded and smiled.

"André I… I can't… what if I get my team killed? What if I screw up and we get captured? What if… what if-"

Suddenly, I was cut off from a sudden kiss on the lips. I blushed as André pulled away and smiled.

"You'll do fine," he said.

I felt my heart race, I was speechless, I didn't know what to say… well… okay that was a lie.

"Heh… heh-heh, o-okay," I said nervously.

André turned and called over some Assassins.

"Vous trois, venez ici (You three, come here)!" he barked.

I turned and saw three French Assassins walk over to us, each one of them wore a different set of robes: One wore a set of crimson red robes, one wore a set of sand colored robes, and another wore a set of plaster white robes.

"Ariela, meet Benjamin Amauger, Degaré Chevalier, and Claire Molyneux, they will be accompanying you on your little escapade," said André, "les gars, cela est Ariela Liora, je vous placer sous ses ordres. Suivez ses ordres et assurez-vous que vous avez tous regarder le dos de l'autre. Est-ce compris?"

The Assassins nodded. I looked over at André and raised an eyebrow.

"Um…" I started to say.

"Don't worry, they speak English… well, Degaré's knowledge of the English language is a bit spotty at best," said André.

I didn't say anything.

"So where will we be going?" I asked.

"Auvergne," said André, "that's where you'll find the Assassin Hunter. Be careful Ariela, one slip up and you'll be met with heavy resistance."

"I'll be careful," I said as I pulled my hood over my head.

"You can use one of our jeeps in order to get there," said a nearby Assassin.

I nodded and went over to one of the jeeps that were posted by the church, covered by a large tarp. I pulled the tarp off just enough so my team and I could climb into the vehicle.

"Uh, wait," said Benjamin, "who's driving?"

"Je vais," said Degaré.

"Quelle!? Maintenant chemin, je vais être conduit Degaré," said Claire.

"Toi? nous conduire à notre destination? Absurde," said Degaré.

"J'ai l'expérience de conduire des voitures et faire de la moto, donc je suis celui qui conduit la jeep," Claire said firmly.

"Que diriez-vous que je reçois à conduire et la prochaine fois que nous sommes jumelés avec deux autres personnes, vous conduire?" asked Degaré.

"Que diriez-vous que je vous botter hors du siège putain?" Claire asked firmly.

"Oh ferme la!" shouted Benjamin, "I'll drive!"

Degaré grumbled under his breath and sat in the back with Claire, who was also equally unhappy with not being able to drive. I looked over at Benjamin as he fired up the jeep.

"Does this happen often?" I asked.

"You mean do they always bicker?" asked Benjamin, "often times yes… it's kind of a long story."

"Uh-huh," I said.

As much as I wanted to go deeper into the story between those two, I really didn't want to, not because I wasn't in the mood to hear a story I just wanted to stay focused on the mission. Benjamin drove us to Auvergne, which took… a _long_ time. No seriously, when I say a _long_ time, I mean a really **_LONG_** time. I don't even remember what happened during the whole trip there because half of the time we had to move cautiously to avoid being spotted by enemy patrols, and the other half of the time I was asleep. By the evening though, I was awakened by... well…

"Mmm, Jake? Is that you?" I murmured.

I opened my eyes and sat Claire staring at me, I turned bright red and prepared to scream when she clapped her hands over my mouth.

"Hiya sleepy," she said.

"MMMF! MMMMMPHH! MMMMMM! MMMmmMMMMPH!" I shouted.

"Would you keep it down?" asked Benjamin, "the enemy might hear you."

I looked over at Benjamin and stopped shouting. Claire removed her hands, giving me the opportunity to pounce and knock her to the ground.

"You sniveling little weasel! Why were you poking me on the nose!? Couldn't you see I was taking a nap during the whole trip!?" I demanded as Claire and I jostled.

"Aw, did I interrupt a possible erotic dream you were having?" asked Claire.

"EROTIC DREAM!?" I screamed, "Claire I swear to go-"

Suddenly, I stopped short as I felt a sharp pain in my neck and felt my body lock up in an instant, the same happened with Claire.

"Thanks Degaré," said Benjamin.

Degaré pulled his fingers out of my neck and I dropped to the ground, panting breathlessly from… whatever Degaré even did. Once I managed to recoup, I slowly rose up and walked over to Benjamin and knelt beside him, I looked down at the Templar base before us. I couldn't believe how resourceful these guys were! I saw tanks, fighters, ground vehicles to transport troops, and Templar soldiers… Templar soldiers everywhere!

"Well Ariela?" asked Benjamin.

"Well what?" I asked.

"Well, what do you think Ariela? Do you have a plan?" asked Benjamin.

"A plan?" I asked in disbelief, "Benjamin, look at all of that shit down there. This isn't a base; it might as well be marked as a military stronghold. They've got AA guns for fuck's sake."

I looked over as Claire and Degaré moved up next to us.

"Putain de merde," said Degaré.

"Oh mon Dieu," said Claire, "we have to find Hrodulf in the middle of all of this?"

"It would appear so," I said.

"Maybe we should've sent some scouts to scope out the base before coming here," said Benjamin.

"Maybe we should just head back to the others," said Claire, "grab some added back up."

I looked at my teammates and frowned, giving each of them a firm bop on their heads.

"Ce qui était que pour?" Degaré asked as he rubbed his head.

"Yeah, what was that for Ariela?" asked Benjamin.

"Because it's too late for us to go back now, we're already here so we might as well make the most of what we have," I said.

I looked over the entire base, looking for any weak points, any chinks, any possible openings or blind spots to exploit, _anything_ that could get my team in and out without a hassle. And that was when I found something that caught my eye.

"Bingo," I said.

"What?" asked Benjamin.

I pointed down at the base.

"Weapon's cache," I said, "what we need to draw these guy's attention is just a little bit of a distraction."

"Wait, you want to blow up the cache?" asked Claire, "Ariela that's crazy they'll be alerted to our presence."

"True, but with the bulk of Hrodulf's heading over to the ammo cache to investigate the damage, that'll give us an opening big enough to move in on the command center right over there," I said.

"That plan sounds pretty solid," said Benjamin.

"What? Ben you can't be serious," Claire said in disbelief.

"I am serious, yes, the enemy will be alerted to our presence; however they will be focused on the damage and that's more than enough to give us the time we need to get close enough to the command center so we can kill Hrodulf," said Benjamin.

I turned and stuck my tongue out at Claire. She puffed up her cheeks and let out a huff as she started pouting. As I turned back towards Benjamin, I gasped as I saw him pull out a rifle… it was the same rifle that I have!

"Is that a Springfield?" I asked.

Benjamin nodded as he loaded his weapon and got down in the dirt, I could only guess he was getting ready to fire on the cache.

"I don't see any stray bullet belts hanging out," I said, "which means you're going to have to do this quick. I don't think one shot alone will be enough to cause the cache to explode, which means you're going to have to shoot, hide, then shoot again to make the whole supply goes kaboom."

I looked down at Benjamin, who let out a small laugh and smiled. I was confused.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I don't need to shoot one of those crates," he said, "I just need shoot something else."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Shoot something else?" I asked, "what the hell are you planning on hi-"

 _BANG!_

I turned pale.

"Zwariowałeś !? Jakie były nawet MAJĄCE NA CELU (ARE YOU INSANE!? WHAT WERE YOU EVEN AIMING AT)!?" I demanded.

Suddenly, there was an explosion, followed by a cataclysmic explosion. I whirled around and saw that the cache was blown to kingdom come, and what's more, the Templars were moving in on the explosion to find out what the hell just happened. I looked down at Benjamin, who slowly rose up and slung his rifle on his back and smiled at me.

"What… Did… You…" I started to say.

"There was a soldier patrolling the cache and he had a grenade belt on him," said Benjamin, "I figured it would be a lot safer to shoot him than to shoot one of those crates."

I smiled.

"Alright team, let's move out," I said.

And with that, the four of us made our way down towards the base, sliding down the hill we were stationed at and moving towards the command center under the soon-to-be night sky… now, I did say that say that the bulk of Hrodulf's soldiers would be distracted right? Right, because just as I had predicted, there were still some soldiers stationed at their posts.

"Break off, stick to the shadows," I whispered.

My team and I broke off, and moved through the base, sticking to the shadows, keeping an eye out and assassinating any possible patrols, and using deception to draw a number of squads away from us. Upon our arrival to the base, I noticed a few Templar soldiers patrolling the area, preferably near the front door, I frowned.

"How many?" asked Benjamin.

"Too many," I said.

"What's the plan?" asked Claire.

"We make this quick and clean, no firearms, hand-to-hand combat only, I want us to try and get the drop on Hrodulf," I said.

My teammates smiled and nodded in agreement. We waited in behind cover for a little bit, bidding our time until a Templar came walking towards us, that was when I ejected my right hidden blade and plunged it in my enemy's stomach.

"Teraz (Now)," I said.

In a flash, all four of us sprang out from behind cover, I retracted my hidden blade and drew my Karabela and Dirk. As I closed in on the closest Templar, the last thing he saw and heard, was the sound of my Karabela's blade running across his throat and having blood splash all over a small patch of grass. Turning to my left, I saw a Templar charge at me with a knife in his hand. I grinned under my hood and ducked as he swung his weapon on me, before he had a chance to turn and swing on me again, I brought my Karabela up and cut my opponent right under his arm, close to his armpit; then I drove both of my weapons through his back as he prepared to let out a scream. I didn't have time to admire my kill though, as something went off in my head.

 _"Look out!"_ I thought.

Sure enough, I turned and saw a Templar aiming his sidearm at me from a good distance. And by "good distance" I mean that I wouldn't be able to get close enough to jump at the punk and drive my blade into his heart.

"Verabschieden, Assassine (Say goodbye, Assassin)," he said with a grin.

As he prepared to pull the trigger, he let out a scream as a knife came flying out of nowhere and struck him in the wrist. I turned and saw Degaré had pulled out another knife and threw it at the Templar soldier, striking him in the neck and putting him down. Degaré gave me the "I've got your back" gesture before engaging another pair of Templars that came out of nowhere. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Benjamin was backed into a corner with three Templars all around him.

"Sie können nicht Assassine laufen, haben wir Sie bedeckten bekam (You can't run Assassin, we've got you covered)," one of them said with a snide smirk.

Thinking fast, I drew three of my own knives and launched them at my targets, striking each Templar in the back and putting them down. Benjamin looked at me and smiled.

"Regroup on my position boys and girls, it's time to kill us a Hunter," I said.


	16. Chapter 15: The hunter is slain

Chapter 15

The hunter is slain

As my team regrouped on me, we made our way towards the door, sheathing our weapons in the process of course.

"What's the plan Ariela?" asked Claire.

"Well… I can only suspect that Hrodulf is going to be expecting us, I'd say he's got his soldiers on alert," I said as I drew my first side arm.

"And?" asked Benjamin.

"I'd say this is the part where stealth is out of the question, especially since it's only a matter of time before someone comes by and informs Hrodulf what's happened with the cache," I said as I cocked my weapon, "which is why I say… Use of lethal force is hereby authorized."

And with that…

 _BAM!_

I kicked in the fucking door, drew my second sidearm and started shooting, taking down two Templars in the main area of the building and another two who came out of the door to the left. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Benjamin had pulled out his Springfield and was popping open Templar heads like nobody's business.

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack!_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

"How did you learn to shoot that good?" I asked.

Benjamin looked at me and smiled after he killed another Templar.

"If we make it out of this, I'll tell you," he said.

I smirked and motioned for my team to move forward through the door to the left, shooting and dropping more Templars as they made their way towards us. I must say… I've never been on a mission like this… with my own team and all; but the way we slowly made our way towards our objective, it was like… something out of a game… like Chess or Checkers. Suddenly, I whirled around as I heard Degaré let out a pained yelp.

"Degaré!" I called out.

"He's alright! Just keep the enemy off of us!" Claire called out.

I turned back around and kept squeezing off shots, dropping more Templars before having to duck behind the corner and reload. I looked over at Benjamin, who was busy reloading himself. He looked up at me.

"Having fun?" I asked.

"Having a blast," he said with a chuckle.

Once I had reloaded, I rounded the corner and fired on my last Templar, dropping him dead.

"Clear," I said.

I slid my weapons in their holsters and went over to Degaré and Claire, who was busy bandaging him up.

"What happened?" I asked.

"He took a stray hit to the thigh," said Claire.

I looked down at Degaré, who was struggling to stand up on his own two feet.

"Ask him if he can move," I said.

Claire nodded.

"Pensez-vous que vous pouvez marcher (Do you think you can walk)?" she asked.

Degaré looked over at Claire, then he looked down at his thigh and tried to lift it. He winced and quickly set it down.

"Il est très bien ... tellement longtemps que je ne mets pas trop de pression sur elle," he said.

Claire looked at me.

"What'd he say?" I asked.

"He said as long as he doesn't put too much pressure on it, he's going to be fine," said Claire, "normally I'd just take what he told me and say "Alright", but just to make sure…"

I watched as Claire pulled out some kind of syringe and jabbed it into Degaré's thigh. Degaré's eyes went wide and he let out an alarmed yelp.

"GAH! CLAIRE VOUS FILS DE PUTAIN (GAH! CLAIRE YOU SON OF A WHORE)!" he screamed.

Now… I know I hate to observe the suffering of others… but that _really_ made me laugh.

"Quiet, you want the other Templars to hear us?" asked Claire.

"I think they already found us," said Benjamin.

I turned around fast and saw a small squad of Templars make their way inside of the base, as soon as they saw us, they didn't hesitate to call out to the rest of their buddies.

"ASSASSIN'S! ES GIBT ASSASSINS Innenseite der Basis (ASSASSINS! THERE ARE ASSASSINS INSIDE OF THE BASE)!" One of them called out as he made his way out of the door.

"Shit," I said.

"Feuer (Fire)!" another Templar ordered.

Without even hesitating, we all dove for cover in the hallway, each of us taking up a position against the Templar onslaught.

"Ariela, go! We'll hold off the enemy!" barked Benjamin.

"What!?" I demanded.

"Benjamin's right, you have to go on ahead while we deal with the Templars!" barked Claire.

"No! I won't leave you guys!" I exclaimed.

"Ariela, just go! We'll be fine!" barked Benjamin.

"But-"

I stopped abruptly, remembering something that I had on my person: My grenades! I quickly un-latched one of them, pulled the pin and hurled it over at the Templar soldiers, landing right over them and causing them to go flying everywhere in the main area of the base. My friends looked back at me, I shrugged.

"What? I couldn't let them go to waste," I said.

Degaré chuckled. I made my way towards Hrodulf's office.

"Hold your position until I get back!" I called out to them as I rounded the corner.

When I made my way toward the back of the base, I kicked open a pair of double doors, only to dive behind the corner as I was met with a hail of gunfire. If I had to guess, I'd say that was the meeting room and the room beyond that must've been Hrodulf's office.

 _"And there's at least a full squad of Templar soldiers standing between me and my objective,"_ I thought as I holstered my main hand sidearm and drew my Karabela.

As I prepared to move inside of the meeting room, I stopped as I heard someone approaching the doors.

 _"Wait for it,"_ I thought as I gripped my offhand side arm.

Just as I had suspected, a Templar soldier came out of the meeting room and looked around, when he saw me standing nearby I brought my weapon up and shot him in the head. Unfortunately, that prompted his buddies to start panicking and fire off a hail of bullets through the doors for a good minute and thirty. When the shooting stopped, I sprung out from my hiding spot and started squeezing off shots myself, a lot of the rounds that went flying through the air had struck a good number of the Templars in the chest, which caused them to either drop to the floor and start bleeding out.

However, some of them managed to get to make their mark, hitting most of the Templars right between the eyes and killing them dead. As I stepped into the meeting room, I ducked as a Templar tried to skewer me with his sabre, without even hesitating, I slammed the blade of my Karabela into my opponent's throat, put my pistol under his chin and fired, blowing his brains out. As I pulled out my Karabela and turned, I took a rifle butt to the face and was knocked to the floor; in a flash I brought my pistol up and fired my last two shots, hitting my attacker in the chest and dropping him to the floor.

 _"Nerw niektórych ludzi (The nerve of some people),"_ I thought as I reloaded.

I rose to my feet and looked around the meeting room, making my way towards Hrodulf's office when I suddenly stopped as the sound of approaching footsteps came from inside of the office. I got ready for anything.

"Komm raus Hrodulf! Ich bin treten werde deinen Arsch (Come on out Hrodulf! I'm gonna kick your ass)!" I exclaimed.

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped, I gripped my pistol and my Karabela, expecting Hrodulf to come stomping out. Just then, something went off in my head.

 _"DROP!"_ I thought.

I dropped to the floor as Hrodulf fired on me… with some kind of heavy duty weapon.

 _"That's a goddamn .50 caliber machine gun!"_ I thought.

I looked around as .50 caliber rounds flew over my head, trying to find some sort of cover, that was when I realized I could just crawl under the table until the shooting was over… okay, I didn't realize it per say, I just… um… n-nevermind!

 _"Might as well,"_ I thought as I crawled under the table.

The shooting lasted a good minute and thirty… two minutes at the most, when it ended, I stayed hidden and reloaded my other pistol; I didn't want to risk exposing myself yet. After about ten seconds, I heard the doors to Hrodulf's office bust open, followed by the sound of footsteps. I looked out from under the table and saw that he was armed with a shotgun and a sword that bore the Templar cross.

"Come on out little girl, if you do I'll let you live once you lay down your arms," he said.

 _"Głupie gadanie (Bullshit),"_ I thought.

I rolled out from under the table, opposite to Hrodulf and rose to my feet, in retrospect, I should've drawn my pistols first before I rolled out and jumped to my feet, because…

"Erwischt (Gotcha)!" exclaimed Hrodulf.

I instantly rolled behind one of the tables as he turned and fired. If memory served me, Gabriel said my armor was supposed to stop small arms fire like pistols and such, I didn't even want to know if it could stop shotgun shells. As I drew my pistols and rose to my feet, I started squeezing off shots, forcing Hrodulf to run out of the meeting room and around the corner. As soon as I stopped firing and started to slowly make my way towards my opponents, he whirled around and aimed his weapon at me.

"Pierdolić (Fuck)!" I exclaimed.

I jumped behind one of the end chairs and covered my head as another shell blew a massive chunk of it to hell, showering me with wood and debris. I jumped to my feet again and saw Hrodulf round the corner again, just then I felt my heart skip a beat as I heard some activity going on behind the corner. He's reloading!

 _"Now's my chance!"_ I thought.

I holstered my pistols, charged behind the corner and knocked the shotgun barrel off to the side as Hrodulf rounded the corner and prepared to blow my head open with one shot. Without even bothering to stop, I grabbed his weapon and kicked him in his left knee twice before striking him in the face with the back of my fist.

"Gimme this damn thing!" I screamed as I elbowed him in the cheek twice and kicked him in the chest.

Hrodulf's shotgun was released, but in place of his shotgun, he managed to get a hold of one of my pistols and fire on me. I went down, but I wasn't out thanks to the armor, as much as I wanted to jump to my feet and say "Gotcha" I wanted to play possum for a bit and see if he would make his way over to my "dead body". Sure enough… the bastard did make his way over to me. In a flash, I spun and drove my right leg into the back of Hrodulf's knee, causing him to drop to the floor, I jumped to my feet and kicked my weapon out of his hand; however, as I prepared to deliver the death blow, Hrodulf kicked me in the stomach and got up, dusting himself off.

"Heh-heh, your good kid, you've got guts," he said, "your form seems a lot more… refined and not so sloppy. Tell me though… do you think that even with your… rehoned skills that you can beat the likes of an Assassin Hunter?"

I growled and drew my Dirk and Karabela.

"Time to find out," I said.

Hrodulf drew his sword and charged at me, I rolled out of the way as he swung at my neck and nearly got his sword stuck in the door frame. I jumped at him, swinging my Karabela with lightning fast speed and precision, turning my weapon into a blur of shining steel as I focused on keeping my opponent onto his back foot. Once out duel first started, Hrodulf and I managed to make our way down the right hallway, with Hrodulf himself still playing defense as I unleashed a flurry of attacks upon him, my Karabela lashing out with slashes and stabs while my Dirk blocked his counter attacks.

"What's wrong? You're not going to ask me where your sister is?" he asked as we locked blades.

"What?" I asked as I pushed him back.

"Oh yes, I heard about your little incident in Turkey, a lot of the Templars heard," he said in a mocking tone, "but for some reason, you're a lot quieter than… chatty."

Hrodulf charged and swung, I moved to the left and kicked him right in the elbow before delivering a spinning kick to his chest, sending the man stumbling backwards.

"I've changed," I said.

I jumped at Hrodulf and swung on him, but the big lug stepped to the side and backhanded me, causing a bit of spit and blood to fly off of my lip from my lip. I barely had enough time to recover before having to block an attack from behind, bring Hrodulf's blade up with all of my might and kick him right in the stomach, then I ran up and drove my knee into his face, causing his nose to start leaking blood.

"I'm no longer a reckless, blood-thirsty killer out for blood, I'm an Assassin," I said as I brandished my weapons.

Hrodulf growled and swung at me again, I raised my Karabela to block his attack; but the force was so strong that I was disarmed.

"Well good for you," he said, "now you get to die as one of them, you piece of Polish dirt!"

Hrodulf came upon me again, swinging at my neck; however, I quickly tossed my Dirk into my right hand, reverse grip style. I brought my Dirk up and parried Hrodulf's attack before delivering a spinning kick to the side of his face, causing him to go stumbling into the hallway wall. Before I could give him a chance to recover, I threw down my Dirk, ejected my right hidden blade and drove it into his back. Hrodulf let out a pained groan and stumbled back into the other wall, sliding down and looking up at me, with blood running down the side of his mouth.

"D-Dammit," he groaned.

I retracted my hidden blade and looked over at Hrodulf.

"Now what was it you said? About me dying like one of the Assassins?" I asked.

Hrodulf tried to say something, but all that came out was a pained groan, as well as inaudible cursing.

"I used to believe that I was out delivering justice, that I was trying to make myself into a symbol of hope for my people, something for them to pray upon when they go to sleep at night in your horrendous camps and ghettos," I said, "but I was wrong. My superiors showed me the errors of what happens… when I let my rage, my hatred, my prejudice towards you Templars goes to my head. It clouds my judgement… it makes me no better than the rest of you."

Hrodulf didn't say anything. I continued.

"I won't make that same mistake again this time," I said.

"Eh… heh-heh… congratulations then… you just painted an even bigger target on your back," Hrodulf said slowly, "because talk like that is going to have the dogs chasing after you like wolves hunting down a wounded deer lost from its herd."

I watched as Hrodulf gave another small laugh before he closed his eyes and went still.

"Ich fürchte keine Hunde, die Sie gegen mich. Sie werden das gleiche Schicksal wie Sie treffen (I do not fear any dogs you send against me. They'll meet the same fate like you)," I said.


	17. Chapter 16: Burdens

Chapter 16

Burdens

I regrouped with my team outside, who looked like they had been through hell.

"What… happened?" I asked.

"Templars," Benjamin and Claire said in unison.

"Ah," I said.

"Hrodulf?" asked Benjamin.

"The dammed hunter is dead," I said.

My teammates all got up off of the crates they were sitting on and we did a unified hi-five.

"Now that Hrodulf is dead we can blow this whole base to smithereens with a good bombing run," said Benjamin.

"What? You really want to destroy all of this good equipment?" I asked.

"You have a better idea?" asked Claire.

"Duh, we need to at least _take_ some of the bzdury (crap) back to the den right?" I asked.

"Ariela est juste, nous devrions prendre beaucoup de munitions, des fournitures médicales et rations retour à la tanière," said Degaré, "nous pourrions vraiment en bénéficier."

I looked over at Benjamin.

"He said he agreed," said Benjamin.

I smiled, I looked up at the sky and saw that it was getting dark. I knew that we wouldn't have time to regroup with the others for our march on Vichy and I knew that my teammates would agree.

"Does the comm system work still?" I asked.

"I think so," said Claire, "why?"

"Get André on the line, tell him that we've assassinated Hrodulf and that we're going to regroup with them tomorrow," I said.

Claire gave me a nod and prepared to leave when I said, "And… tell him to send a small team to our location, let him know we have some supplies that will prove useful in our fight."

"Got it," said Claire.

As I watched her take her leave, I turned toward the boys.

"Which leaves us, to set up the crates for the team to swing by and load onto the trucks," I said as I got started, "wouldn't want them to waste time trying to grab all of the supplies while they're scattered."

Benjamin and Degaré looked at each other and then went to join me.

"Attendez ... ne pas vous mentionnez quelque chose sur les munitions Degaré?" asked Benjamin.

"Ouais," said Degaré.

"Je pensais que nous avons détruit le cache bien, il ne devrait pas y avoir de gauche de munitions," said Benjamin.

"Um… Ben?" I asked.

Benjamin looked over at me as I set down a fresh crate of rations.

"Mind filling me in on the conversation?" I asked.

"I was mentioning on how we destroyed the ammo cache," said Benjamin.

"And?" I asked.

"How exactly are we supposed to get resupplied with ammunition is there's no cache?" asked Benjamin.

"I'm sure there's more than one cache nearby," I said, "I mean this base is… cholernie ogromna (pretty fucking huge)."

Degaré laughed in agreement. Our task lasted until about midnight, we had managed to gather as many of the Templar's supplies as possible and stack them all up in one spot for the team to come by and load it all up when they get here tomorrow. Though me and the boys were proud of our accomplishments, we found ourselves with a rather… small problem…

"God I'm starved," said Benjamin, "I haven't had anything since breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm a little hungry myself," I said.

"Well I hope you Assassins are hungry, because I thought I'd whip something up in the officer's lounge," said a voice.

We all turned and saw Claire step out of the base, I gasped as I picked up the smell of something… savory and delicious the wafted out from inside of the building.

"Claire, you didn't," said Benjamin.

"I did," she said with a grin.

We all made our way inside of the building and into the officer's lounge, where we helped ourselves to some delicious smoked ham, beans, corn, fresh bread, and mashed potatoes. I must say, it was pretty nice to celebrate a well-earned victory like this, especially since none of my teammates were killed during our little mission.

As we enjoyed our meal, Claire decided to say something to break the silence.

"So… anyone got anything they might want to say?" she asked.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Usually after we accomplish a mission, some of the Assassins would often swap stories with each other… you know to get their minds off of the war that's going on," said Benjamin.

"Pourquoi avons-nous tous demandons pas ce qui nous a amené ici?" asked Degaré.

I looked over at Benjamin, who gave me a small smile.

"He wanted to know what made us join the brotherhood," said Benjamin, "you know, what caused us to sign on to their cause."

I felt a chill go up my spine, I looked down at my plate and tried my best to keep my cool.

"O-Oh, um… okay," I said, "that's fine I guess."

Now I know what you're thinking, and _no_ I wasn't scared about sharing my reasoning for wanting to join the brotherhood. I was just scared of breaking down when it got to my turn and I had to tell my friends why I joined the Assassins. Would they look down on me? Would they berate me? I didn't know… no, I didn't _want_ to know the answer to that question. That aside, we all looked and listened as Degaré went first with telling about what caused him to join the brotherhood… now, I didn't know French or anything; but at least I had Benjamin and Claire, who opted to be my translators.

Turns out, Degaré had an ancestor who was a member of the brotherhood long before he was born, he joined up after the Nazis and their Templar buddies started the world war here in Europe and his brotherhood was originally assigned to assist in pushing back the invaders; however, after the marshall decided to sell himself out, he's just been trying to survive.

Benjamin's story wasn't as bad as Degaré's, as he came from America to study abroad, learn a little bit about some European culture; however, after he had me this first lover, World War 2 had begun and… the last thing he said he remembered was hearing her cry out his name as they were trying to escape France when the Nazis came stomping through the streets.

Claire's story was a bit more... dark than Benjamin's, she had a bit of a tough family life and went through a pretty bad relationship with her first boyfriend. After he had left her, she was struggling to pay her rent on the apartment the two of them were living in. It wasn't until she was rescued by someone from the brotherhood after she had a run-in with a couple of street thugs, that she didn't even hesitate to join when the offer came up during the conversation.

"Who was the Assassin that saved you?" I asked.

Claire blushed and looked down as she took a sip of her water

"His name was… Damien…" she said shyly.

I looked over as Benjamin started making kissing noises, Claire's cheeks flared up in anger and she slammed her tankard down.

"Oh vraie mature, Ben!" she snapped.

Benjamin just shrugged.

"I'm just kidding Claire, lighten up," he said.

Claire let out a huff and sat back in her chair, she then looked over at me.

"Hey Ariela, what's your story?" she asked.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Your story," Claire repeated, "what made you join the brotherhood?"

I paused for a minute or two, then I took a sip of my water and looked at my friends.

"The Nazis and Templars killed my family… with the exception of my sister… whom they kidnapped," I said, "I… I joined the brotherhood… not to assist with the cause… but because… because I was letting revenge guide my actions."

I felt myself starting to well up.

"My revenge… my thirst for revenge… against that dammed Templar…" I felt a tear roll down my face as I tried to get the words out, "it got a friend of mine killed."

As I wiped away my tears, I felt Benjamin put a hand on me and give me a pat on the shoulder.

"It's alright Ariela…" he started to say.

"Huh?" I asked, "what do you mean?"

"This is just all part of being an Assassin, you're going to make a lot of shitty mistakes… mistakes that are going to turn into heavy burdens," said Claire, "but you know what you do with heavy burdens?"

I shook my head.

"You learn from them; you learn from them so you won't repeat the same thing in the near future. Once that happens, this burden eventually starts to slowly get lifted off of you, until you finally feel… well, renewed, I guess," Claire said with a chuckle.

"Renouvelé?" asked Degaré, "Je suis certain que notre mentor n'a pas dit que Claire."

"Eh bien l'enfer qui vous a demandé !?" snapped Claire.

I smiled and let out a small giggle. Claire was right, I needed to stop carrying so many burdens, the more I do, the more they just keep weighing me down, pretty sure it wouldn't be long until these burdens eventually start to become so bad that I'll be trying to keep my sanity from every traumatic even I've endured… and that is something I _do not_ want to think about.

…I'm sorry, I started rambling. I didn't mean to ramble; I guess being out here… so far from home is a bit… uh… it's just a lot to take in I guess. After we had our dinner, the four of us went into the officer's quarters to rest, which seemed a lot more fitting than sleeping in the barracks, I don't care how different the Nazis were from the Templars, I doubt that the condition of the barracks for each faction was far from different; in other words, I was _not_ about to sleep in some dead guy's sweaty bed.

 _"Whoa, these beds are really soft, definitely officer quality,"_ I thought as I sat down on the bed in my room.

I stripped down to just my pants and shirt, setting my gear and equipment by the dresser and climbing into bed. As I laid down and looked up at the ceiling, I reflected on the events of what happened today. It seemed strange… before I had retrained myself… I didn't feel anything when I killed an enemy on the battlefield… but now…

 _"I wonder… if the Nazis ever feel anything when they're out there, killing and capturing individuals who were deemed as "imperfect" in the name of their leader,"_ I thought, _"I mean… before retraining myself I didn't feel anything when I killed one of their own but now… now I feel…"_

I gripped my covers as I pushed the thought out of my mind. I let out a sigh as I turned and looked over at my robes.

 _"No… I can't afford to get soft now… I can't afford to let these thoughts weigh me down… not yet,"_ I thought as I turned over onto my stomach, _"besides… I'm already in too deep… I have to keep going… I have to keep going until the end."_


	18. Chapter 17: Coffee shop shootout

Chapter 17

Coffee shop shootout

"Ariela…"

"Ariela…"

"Ariela!"

I slowly woke up from a restful sleep, slowly sitting up and rubbing my head, I turned and saw an Assassin standing by my bed, seeing's how I didn't recognize who he was, I knew he must've been the team that was deployed to gather the equipment we've gathered and piled up outside.

"Ugh… good morning," I said with a yawn.

"I'm sorry to have woke you up, but we came here as fast as we could, so we could load the supplies you gathered and take it back to the den," said the Assassin.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed.

"I take it André doesn't want to waste time, marching on Vichy," I said.

The Assassin nodded.

"His team has already acquired what we'll need to sneak into Vichy and take out the target, he just needs you and your team to meet him back so the mission can go into full affect," he said.

I gave the Assassin a nod and said, "Alright, I'll go meet you guys outside."

The Assassin gave me a nod and left my room so I could get dressed. Afterwards I made my way into the cafeteria, where there was a plate of food for me. Now, normally I would've just shrugged it off and go outside to meet up with my team… but the smell of the eggs and smoked ham made my stomach grumble. So… naturally I walked over, sat down, ate my breakfast, and regrouped with my team, who was waiting for me inside of a Panzer IV.

"Oh man, Ariela, have you seen the inside of this thing? It's a complete monster," Benjamin said with a laugh.

"Oh I got to see the inside of one of those things… for like a brief second," I said.

"What happened?" asked Claire.

I smiled and let out a snort.

"I blew it up," I said as I climbed onto the rumbling behemoth.

My teammates didn't say anything; they just went back to doing what they were doing. I looked over at a passing Assassin captain, who was making his way towards the jeep up at the front of this little… "convoy" we've set up.

"We heading out?" I asked.

"Oui, we're on our way to the den right now," he said.

I gave the Assassin a nod and climbed into the tank.

 _"Święty cholery, tam jest dużo miejsca tutaj (Holy hell, there's a lot of room in here),"_ I thought as I found a spot and sat down.

After everyone and everything was situated, we were off, heading back to the den with fresh supplies.

"Wait a second… shouldn't we be worried about any like… soldiers stopping by that base and taking it over?" asked Claire.

"I doubt it, the captain will probably have a small squadron level the place, make sure nobody tries to get the chance to take over an empty Templar base," said Benjamin.

"You mean André?" asked Degaré.

I whirled around at Degaré, with a look of shock on my face.

"What?" he asked.

"Y-You just spoke English," I said, "fluently…"

"And?" asked Degaré.

"But André said that your English was dodgy," I said.

Degaré laughed.

"My English isn't dodgy, I just like to speak in French because it makes me feel more comfortable," he said with a smile, "André says it's dodgy just to be an asshole."

"…Oh," I said.

Overall, the trip back to the den was long and dull, in fact my team actually took turns on who would drive next while the rest of us got to take naps. When we arrived and I climbed out of the tank, the look on André's face… I couldn't tell if he was shocked or surprised at the haul we brought back.

"The hell did you guys do? Knock over an armory?" he asked in disbelief.

"Nope, we just thought we'd come back with a few pamiątki (souvenirs)," I said with a wink.

André put a hand on his hip and nodded in approval as he saw the supplies we brought back, even managed to get a laugh out of him as well.

"This is good," he said, "this is really good, we're going to need this equipment in our fight against the Nazis and their Templar allies. There's no doubt the Templars will lash out in full force once we assassinate the Marshall."

"So what's the plan of attack?" asked Benjamin.

"The plan is simple really, we sneak up into Vichy with the Panzers we swiped, find the Marshal and kill him," said André.

I frowned, hearing André's plan.

"It's a good plan but it has too many holes," I said as I stepped forward.

"Excuse me?" asked André.

"Just hear me out," I said, "if we move in with our Panzers towards the Town Hall without authorization, they're going to immediately know that something is wrong."

"I hate to say this… but Ariela might have a point, if the Marshal sees a small group of Panzers moving toward the Town Hall he might think an attack is going to be coming," said Claire.

André looked at me and let out a sigh.

"Dammit, you're right…" he said.

"That's actually not half bad of a plan," said Adriano.

I whirled around and saw the Italian Assassin make his way over to us.

"What's not half bad of a plan?" asked André.

"Claire said that the Marshall will probably think that there's going to be an attack right?" asked Adriano.

"Um… yeah," said André.

"Well… what if we let him know that an attack actually _is_ coming?" asked Adriano.

"Where are you getting at?" asked André.

"If I had to guess I'd say Adriano is suggesting that we send a… false message, am I right?" I asked.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting," Adriano said with a smile.

André smiled and gave Adriano a nod of approval.

"That's not a bad idea," he said, "but how are we going to get a false message out?"

I smiled and pulled my hood over my head.

"Możesz zostawić to mnie (You leave that to me)," I said.

Without another word, I took off into the city of Riom. I climbed up to the top of the first building I saw, and began moving deep inside of enemy territory, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, I made sure not to get caught by any possible patrols roaming the streets. It wasn't any possible Templar troops I was worried about, those guys I can be able to hold my own against, it's the French and their forces. Don't misunderstand, I'm pretty good at handling my own against them as well, I just didn't want to have to put one of them down.

 _"I know it's not their fault for siding with the enemy… it's the Marshals,"_ I thought as I dropped down onto another building, _"the Marshall is the one who's at fault. He shouldn't have been so quick to sell himself out."_

As I prepared to drop down and move to another building, I picked up… voices. I looked over the edge of the building I was on. Sure enough, there was a few Templar soldiers right below me. I got down and focused on the conversation that was going between the three of them, until everything else seemed to… become drowned out.

"Haben Sie schon etwas von Hrodulf (Have you heard anything from Hrodulf)?"

"Nein, Sir, niemand ist zu hören etwas von ihm an diesem Morgen (No sir, no one's heard anything from him this morning)."

"Hat er nicht sagen, er würde mehrere Jagdgesellschaften zu schicken für die Assassinen zu suchen (Didn't he say he was going to be sending multiple hunting parties to look for those Assassins)?"

I snickered as I saw one of the Templars smack his friend on the back of the head.

"Natürlich sagte er, dass du Idiot, waren nicht da du (Of course he said that you moron, weren't you there)!?"

"Hallo! Speichern Sie es für den Feind (Hey! Save it for the enemy)."

"Entschuldigen Sie (Sorry sir)."

"Schauen Sie, ich weiß nicht, was hat Hrodulf verzögert; aber sehen, wenn Sie können nicht zurück in die Kommunikations Vorposten Kopf machen und versuchen, sie wieder den Mann zu nennen. Wenn er nicht antwortet, Wort an mich und ich werde eine Suchaktion kommen, um zu sehen, was hat ihn und seine Männer beschäftigt (Look, I don't know what has Hrodulf delayed; but see if you can't head back to the communications outpost and try to get them to call the man again. If he doesn't answer, send word to me and I'll have a search party come by to see what has him and his men preoccupied)."

"Bei allen Kommandanten gebührenden Respekt, aber nicht Hrodulf Sie outrank (With all due respect commander, but doesn't Hrodulf outrank you)?"

"Rang hat nichts damit zu tun Lieutenant, ich bin besorgt über die Tatsache, dass die Assassinen ohne Vorwarnung getroffen haben könnte, und wenn sie haben, das heißt, sie wissen, dass wir ihnen die Jagd sind. Jetzt tun, wie ich gebiete (Rank has nothing to do with it Lieutenant, I'm concerned with the fact that the Assassins might have struck without warning and if they have, that means they know we're hunting them. Now do as I command)."

"Sofort Sir (Right away sir)."

I saw the three soldiers do their traditional salute before the lieutenant and his friend turned and departed. If these guys actually have a communications outpost, then I don't want to risk killing the lieutenant and his buddy.

"I'd better follow him," I said as I started to climb down.

I was actually half way down the building when I saw that Templar commander wasn't too far from me. I looked around and saw that there weren't many witnesses where I was hanging from, when I looked back at the commander, I felt a grin stretch across my face; but I shook my head fast and kept climbing down.

 _"No! Bad girl!"_ I thought as I dropped down to the sidewalk, _"follow your targets to the communications outpost, they'll be time to kill later."_

I turned and started walking, keeping at the appropriate distance as I followed the two Templars to their destination. Along the way though, I quietly muttered something under my breath and shook my head, realizing that I had made a very… very bad joke.

 _"Cholera ... dlaczego (Dammit… why)?"_ I thought as I kept walking.

I kept following the two Templars to their communications outpost, for quite a few blocks, only having to duck behind a corner once or twice whenever they felt like they were being followed. When they arrived at their destination, I was shocked to see where their communications outpost was: It was… at a French Coffee Shop?

 _"It only makes sense,"_ I thought, _"I mean, if they had a communications outpost set up at some abandoned building or something it'd be too obvious."_

I looked up and down at the building and saw that there was a second floor. I took a deep breath and tugged on my hood as I made my way towards the door, when I opened it and walked inside, there was _a lot_ of people staring at me. And I mean _a lot_ of people.

 _"Probably not my smartest move,"_ I thought.

Actually come to think of it, I realized it wasn't a smart move to come here without Benjamin or someone else who could speak French.

"Qui es-tu?" asked the shop owner.

I opened my mouth and prepared to speak, when I stopped, if I said something in Polish, they'd call the authorities in seconds. It was the only thing I could do but say something to them in German.

"Nur ein Soldat schauen, um eine Tasse Kaffee zu greifen (Just a soldier looking to grab a nice cup of coffee)," I said.

The shop owner's eyes widened and gave me a nod.

"Ah, vous êtes un membre de l'armée de Hitler?" he asked.

I didn't need to know French to realize he just asked me if I was a part of Hitler's army. I swallowed and nodded.

"Ja (Yes)," I said.

"Toutes mes excuses, je ne savais pas," said the shop owner, "Je pensais que vous auriez pu être ..."

The shop owner stopped talking when he took a quick glance at my attire.

"Y Vos ... Vos vêtements ..." he started to say.

I started to panic inside, as much as I didn't want to, I had to play it off… but then something entered my mind and I realized… this guy wouldn't understand what I told him in German if I tried. So the best I could do was just run over, leap over the counter and pin the man to the wall. As he prepared to scream, I clapped my hand over his mouth and motioned for him to be quiet. I looked over at the patrons and saw that they were starting to freak out a little bit.

"Wenn Sie diesen Mann zu leben wollen, werden Sie in Ihren Sitzen bleiben (If you want this man to live, you'll stay in your seats)," I hissed.

I know it wasn't much of a threat, but that did keep everyone from making a scene and alerting the Templars that I was here. I turned back to the shop owner and looked him right in the face.

"Do you speak English?" I asked.

He hesitated, and then he said, "A… A little bit."

"Good," I said, "now, here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to let you go and I want to have your word that you're not going to scream. Got it?"

He nodded. I released him.

"Now listen, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm here to help you," I said, "I'm looking for two men that came into this shop, have you seen them?"

The shop owner hesitated and looked down at the ground.

"I… I can't tell you… they'll kill me," he said.

"If you don't… what do you think they'll do when they find out you were talking to a Jewish girl… with German blood?" I asked as I removed my hood.

The shop owner gasped.

"Well?" I asked.

The shop owner looked around and saw that everyone was staring back at us, he leaned close to my ear and started whispering everything I needed to hear.

"They're here! They threatened to kill the employees and anyone inside of the shop if they peeked in on what they're doing in here," he whispered.

"I understand," I said.

"Second floor, they have a small squad of soldiers on guard," he whispered.

"Tell your employees to hide someplace safe," I said, "and tell everyone here to remain where they are, add that they're to hide under the tables. There may be… shooting."

The shop owner nodded. I pulled my hood over my head and prepared to make my way upstairs when I saw a Templar foot soldier had arrived. I just looked at him and smiled under my hood.

"Hi there," I said.

"ATTENTÄTER (ASSASSIN)!" he exclaimed.

He drew his pistol and began to fire on me, not wanting to jump out of the way, I raised my gauntlets to block the first three shots. To my shock and surprise, these gauntlets actually worked, they deflected the bullets with relative ease.

 _"Huh… sweet,"_ I thought.

As the soldier kept squeezing off more shots, I managed to deflect a few more bullets before I shouted at the shop owner to get down. When he did that, I dodged the next bullet, drew my pistol and fired three shots at my opponent, striking him in the chest and dropping him.

 _"Gotcha,"_ I thought.

Even though I managed to drop one, it would only be a matter of time before the others came down, which would happen right about…

"Es kam von unten (It came from downstairs)," said a voice.

…Now

 _"Well… here we go,"_ I thought as I drew my other pistol.


	19. Chapter 18: Sheep and wolves

Chapter 18

Sheep in wolf's clothing

I made my way to the corner, of the stairway, waiting for the next Templar to come right by me. As soon as he came right past me, I brought my offhand pistol up as he turned towards me and fired, three shots in his chest, dropping him fast.

"Was zum Teufel (What the hell)!?" exclaimed the other Templar.

Without even hesitating, I rounded the corner and fired on him while he was shocked and confused, killing him as well. I marched upstairs, making my up to the second floor when I was met with machinegun fire. I moved back down the stairs as I saw the bullets got through the wall. As soon as the shooting stopped, I was met with footsteps, they were coming this way. As soon as the first soldier showed his face, I fired and shot him in the head, I watched as the man dropped and rolled down the stairs, stopping right at my feet.

"Headshot," I said.

Just then, one by one, the rest of them made their way towards the doorway, and one by one, I squeezed off a few shots at them, hitting them either in the chest or the head and dropping each of my targets, with the exception of two, whom started to fire on me as I rounded the corner.

 _"Fine time to run out of ammo,"_ I thought bitterly, _"no time to reload both of them either."_

And with that I slid both of pistols into each holster, grabbed my Springfield and waited, when I heard the two Templars make their way towards the corner, where I was hiding, I lashed out.

"Hier drüben (Over here)!" I barked.

In a flash a struck the first Templar in the face with the butt of my rifle, knocking him into the wall, then I took my weapon and struck his friend in the stomach with it before kicking him in the shin. As the second Templar tried to tend to the bruises he had received, I brought my Springfield up as he looked at me and I shot him in the head, killing him instantly. I turned around to face the other Templar, only to be met with a knife that was coming for my face. Using my Springfield, I brought it up to block his attack; then I struck him in the face with the butt of my rifle twice, when I struck again, I hit him right in the jaw and pressed the barrel into his stomach.

"Bang," I said.

I squeezed the trigger and felt my rifle recoil in my hands as the bullet went inside of my opponent.

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

I fired another shot and pulled my rifle away, I watched as the Templar slowly bled out and crumpled to the floor in a heap. He looked up at me and slowly extended a hand, trying to touch me.

"P-Please," he said slowly.

Now normally, I would've just left him on the stares to die a slow and painful death… but… that was the old me talking; this is the new me, and in my mind… the thought of leaving him to die slowly didn't… didn't seem right. And with that, I holstered my Springfield, ejected my right hidden blade and drove it into the Templar's chest, ending his life.

"Mai begrüßen Sie Gott in offenen Armen (May god welcome you in open arms)," I said as I rose to my feet.

I made my way back upstairs, slowly stepping over the small pile of corpses. As I arrived at the Templar's "communication outpost", I was surprised to see that Lieutenant at his post. He must've had his headset on because he didn't even bother to turn around as I walked up behind him and gave him a small tap on the shoulder.

"Huh? Oh Jungs, hast du Tötens (Huh? Oh guys, did you kill)-"

The expression on his face when he looked at me, I thought he would've pissed himself.

"Hi," I said cheerfully.

The lieutenant reached for the comms, but I took my wrist blade and stabbed him in the arm. He grimaced and was about to cry out; but I clapped my hand over his mouth.

"Shh, shh," I said.

I pulled out my blade, the lieutenant was quick to pull it close to his body and grip it tightly so he could stop the bleeding; however, it wasn't just the bleeding he had to deal with, but the pain as well from the stab I delivered.

"Nun, nun, ich will nicht, dass du deine Freunde zu warnen und sie wissen lassen, ich bin hier (Now, now, I don't want you to alert your friends and let them know I'm here)," I said.

"P-Bitte töte mich nicht, ich werde alles tun, ... alles (P-Please don't kill me, I'll do anything... anything)," he begged.

I frowned. Why is it that these guys keep telling me not to kill them? I mean I understand I was Nazi-hating, blood lusting huntress, but I mean I've managed to change.

"Ich werde dich nicht töten (I'm not going to kill you)," I said, "Ich brauche dich nur zu tun, mir einen kleinen Gefallen ist alles (I just need you to do me a little favor is all)."

"A ... A Gefallen (A... A favor)?" he asked with confusion.

I watched as his face changed from skeptical, to angered.

"Auf keinen Fall, warum sollte ich (No way, why should)!?" he demanded.

I grabbed the man and held my blade to his throat, ready to run it across his flesh at any second.

"Denn wenn Sie nicht ... Ich werde binden Sie und lassen Sie sich außerhalb für Ihre Freunde Sie kommen abholen (Because if you don't… I'll tie you up and leave you outside for your friends to come pick you up)," I said, "Lassen Sie mich jetzt fragen Sie etwas, wie würden sie sich fühlen, wenn Sie ihnen sagen, Sie in eine Hündin gemacht wurden, in den Händen eines jüdischen Mädchens mit deutschem Blut, der auch ein Mitglied der Assassinen-Bruderschaft ist (now let me ask you something, how would they feel when you tell them you were made into a bitch, at the hands of a Jewish girl with German blood, who is also a member of the Assassin Brotherhood)?"

The lieutenant gave me an alarmed look and stiffened with fear. See, this is one of the many things about being an Assassin, yes I know we go out and kill people who've been made targets because of their… corruption or hunger for wanting money and power; but sometimes, killing tends to be too easy. And as you can see right here, I didn't need to kill the poor sap to get him to do whatever I wanted.

No, all it took was for me to threaten to let his buddies come by, take him to his superiors and let _them_ deal with his "failure". In other words, there are a lot of things that are far scarier than death.

"Okay! Okay! Du gewinnst (Okay! Okay! You win)!" he exclaimed, "was willst du (what do you want)?"

I smiled and retracted my blade.

"Guter Junge (Good boy)," I said.

I told the lieutenant about how I wanted him to alert the Marshall of the Assassins coming by to kill him, after I got finished talking, he gave me a confused, and questioning look.

"Warten Sie ... Sie wollen, dass ich den Marshal zu warnen ..., dass die Assassinen, ihn zu töten kommen (Wait... you want me to warn the Marshal... that the Assassins are coming to kill him)?" he asked.

"Ja (Yes)," I said.

"Warum (Why)?" he asked.

I responded by drawing my pistol and aiming it at his head. The man stiffened again and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Okay gut (Okay… fine)," he said.

I holstered my weapon and stood by as I watched the man work. The funny thing I noticed about the difference between the Nazis and the Templars. The Templars seem to train some of their troops… er, agents, to speak more than one language… their Nazi buddies often need translators.

"Okay, ich habe die Marshall des Angriffs gewarnt (Alright, I've alerted the Marshall of the attack)," he said.

"Guter Junge (Good boy)," I said with a smile.

"Ich glaube nicht, obwohl verstehen ... warum mir sagen, die Marshal eines Angriffs durch die Assassinen zu warnen (I don't understand though... why tell me to warn the Marshal of an attack by the Assassins)?" he asked.

Without even hesitating, I grabbed the man and stabbed him in the back of the head.

"You don't have to understand," I said.

I pulled my wrist blade out and made my way towards the door; but not before turning back towards the commutation station the Templars had set up and shot it to hell.

I had arrived back at the den and saw that my friends had gone back inside. They must be waiting for me to come back. As I walked through the doors of the church, I saw that everyone was sitting around and talking.

"Ariela, you're back," André said as he approached me.

"And your mission was…?" Benjamin started to ask.

"My mission was a success," I said as I pulled off my hood, "however, there was some slight complications. The communications outpost was located on the top floor of a local coffee shop."

"Setting up a communications outpost inside of a local business," said André, "a clever tactic for the Templars, they must've known that the Assassins would never think to look there."

"Well… so long as the Marshal knows we're coming, I personally don't care about the communication outpost's location," said Corin, "so, are we ready to move in on Vichy?"

André gave Corin a nod.

"Alright, all teams, move out! Mission is a go," ordered André.

I watched as all of the Assassins got up and headed outside to their respective Panzers. As my teammates approached me, I stopped them dead in their tracks to ask them a question.

"I'm curious… what rank is André?" I asked.

"Huh?" asked Benjamin.

"What do you mean?" asked Degaré.

"I mean… I know he can't be a grandmaster… right? He seems a bit too young to be leading all of you guys," I said, "and if he is… shouldn't he be staying behind?"

My teammates looked at each other, then Claire started to giggle. I was confused.

"What?" I asked.

"Ariela… our grandmaster is being hospitalized at the moment," she said.

"Hospitalized?" I asked.

Claire nodded.

"When the Nazis and Templars invaded, us Assassins poured in all of our resources in order to push back the enemy, and keep them from trying to gain full control over our country," said Benjamin, "however, during the battle, our grandmaster was gravely injured after a grenade explosion sent him flying off of his feet."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What does this have to do with Degaré?" I aksed.

"Degaré was given the temporary mantle of grandmaster after we set up a second den here," said Claire, "the grandmaster said it only seemed fair considering that Degaré… was the grandmaster's finest."

My eyes widened.

"The grandmaster's finest? You mean he's not-"

"Hey, guys!" Degaré called out, "are you all coming or what?"

"Oh! Um… yeah, we're on our way!" I called out.

My team followed me out to our Panzer and piled in. After everything was all set, we were off to Vichy. During the trip there, Degaré's voice came over the radio.

"Alright you guys, it's going to take a while for us to get to Vichy, so I'm going to give you a rundown of the Town Hall's defenses before we get there," he said, "now, this is primarily for Ariela and her team since they weren't here. We've rigged a good number of explosives to a lot of the Panzers that we didn't swipe during our late night mission, so when we've all grouped up, I'll blow the tanks sky high to avoid Phillipe's buddies from coming to his aid."

 _"Nice,"_ I thought.

"Once that's done, we'll spring out and initiate our attack. This is where things will get difficult, we may have French mixed with bad guys so be _extremely_ careful," said Degaré, "incapacitate the French and kill the Templars. That's an order. If the French still try to persist, take them out of the fight, shoot them in the legs, arms, shoulders, anywhere that won't kill them instantly. Remember, we're here to take out a collaborator, so we don't need the blood of our own on our hands."

 _"Damn… I wish I was that good of a tactician,"_ I thought.

"Is that understood?" asked Degaré.

And all at once, everyone responed with a unified, "Yes sir!" and/or "You got it sir!"

"Excellent," said Degaré, "Ensemble pour la victoire!"

"Ensemble pour la victoire!" everyone responded.

I didn't really speak French… or know any French for that matter, but I just smiled in response to Degaré's battle cry. The trip to Vichy was a little long and quiet, I could sense the tension among my teammates, I couldn't tell if they were scarred or feeling the anticipation in their hearts; but all I knew was that the tension inside of my Panzer was strong.

I couldn't blame them either; I mean… we were about to kill a man who sold himself out just to help out the enemy. I don't know Philippe Pétain, but something tells me that this man must've been a proud man to serve his country before the Nazis came stomping in on his territory.

 _"I've got to be honest… I'm really not going to enjoy ending his life,"_ I thought sadly.

Needless to say, the trip to Vichy was kind of long, then again, what did you expect when riding inside of a Panzer? I mean these things packed a lot of firepower and were hard to crack open, but they sure were slow. Luckily, Benjamin was kind enough to awaken me to let me know that we were getting close to our destination.

"Ugh, I thought we were there," I said with a yawn.

"We kind of are, I'm seeing a lot of tanks posted on the streets, Panzer IVs by the look of 'em," said Claire.

I watched as Degaré grabbed Claire and pulled her back into our tank.

"Stay inside you idiot, you want the enemy to fire on us before we even get the chance to go knocking on Phillipe's front door?" he asked.

"Well I'm sorry, but Ariela said that she thought we were finally at the Town Hall, I was just checking to see how far we were," said Claire.

Before Degaré made a snide comeback, André's voice came through the radio.

"Assassins, I want some of you to break off onto the other side of the street," he said.

I took a quick peek outside and saw half of the eight Panzers break off over onto the other side of the road just as Degaré had requested. When I looked ahead, I said that we had actually managed to arrive at the Town Hall.

 _"The Marshal's in there,"_ I thought.

"Ariela? Ariela are you there?" asked André.

"H-Huh?" I asked as I went over to the radio, "I mean, I'm here."

"Listen, I'm going to need you to assassinate the Marshal," said André.

My eyes went wide.

"What!? Me!? But why!?" I demanded.

"Ariela, by the time crack open these tanks we're going to have a good number of Templars to deal with and possibly some French Forces, which means that Phillipe's going to use the ensuing chaos to try and escape assassination, we need to make sure that doesn't happen otherwise Vichy is going to continue to be run by a collaborating lâche lâche (gutless coward)," said André, "do you understand?"

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

"I understand," I said.

"Good, then wait for my signal," he said.

The radio was cut off, I pulled my hood over my head and slowly raised canopy door to the Panzer. Waiting for André signal.

"Whatever it is," I murmured to myself.

Suddenly, without warning, I whirled around at the sound of a Panzer that exploded, then another Panzer exploded, followed by another and another and another and… Oh you guys know what I mean.

"Ensemble pour la victoire!" André called out over the radio.

"That's the signal!" barked Benjamin.

I watched as my teammates threw their hoods on.

"Game on," said Claire.

And with that, one by one, each of the commandeered Panzers popped in and all of the Assassin teams stormed out, I watched as everyone fanned out and took up positions, preparing for the Templars to make their way to us.

"Ariela, go! Find Phillipe! Kill him!" barked Benjamin.

"But what about you guys?" I asked.

"We'll be fine, just get inside of the Town Hall and kill the bastard! Go!" barked Degaré.

I looked around the whole area and saw that the Templars had begun to storm out and make their way towards us. I didn't want to leave my team behind, but André was probably going to need all of the help he can get if it meant giving me the time needed to assassinate Petain.

"Alright," I said as I jumped out of the tank and onto the ground, "good luck you guys."

My friends smiled, each one of them gave me an affirmative nod, letting me know that they heard me as I made my way towards the building. As I charged up the stairs, I was immediately confronted by Templars. Judging by their attire and the patches located right above their armbands, I could only assume that these must've been Hrodulf's men, his… low-grade Assassin Hunters.

"I don't have time to play with you boys," I said.

In a flash, I threw two knives and struck both of them in their chests, bringing them down. I ran over to the door, leading inside of the Town Hall and prepared to march inside when…

 _"Yipe!"_ I thought.

I dropped to the ground as I saw at least a good seven squads of Assassin Hunters march over towards the door and unleash a hail of gunfire right over my head.

 _"That was close,"_ I thought as the bullets shattered the middle doorway.

When the firing stopped, I slowly made my way to the top step and looked up, I counted each hunter who had his weapon aimed right at me.

 _"Yep, that's about seven squads,"_ I thought, _"aw well, looks like I'm gonna need one of these."_

I slowly reached into my coat and pulled out a grenade, when I looked back at the hunters, I frowned.

 _"Better make it two,"_ I thought as I pulled out another grenade.

I pulled the pins out, waited a good three seconds, and then a tossed them through the doorway.

"Grenades (Grenades)!" I heard them yell out.

As soon as the grenades went off, I drew my pistols, charged up the stairs and started shooting, squeezing off shot after shot at my enemies, whom were scattered and trying to gather their bearings after I threw the grenades their way. Unfortunately, one of them was really quick at jumping to his feet and before I knew it, he started firing on me with his assault rifle. I quickly moved behind one of the pillars, only firing back at my targets between the Templar's reloads. Unfortunately, as I continued this shootout, it wasn't long until I saw that more and more of the Templars started getting up and began firing on me.

 _"I don't have all day,"_ I thought.

I holstered my offhand pistol, pulled out another grenade, pulled the pin and threw it.

"Grenate (Grenade)!" I heard one of them call out.

As the grenade went off, I came out from behind cover and squeezed off a few more rounds, hitting at least two more Templars and bringing them down before I had to duck behind cover again.

 _"Fine time to reload,"_ I thought bitterly.

I was quick to reload my pistol, while at the same time I drew my other one and fired off my last three shots before loading that one too.

 _"Eight rounds inside of each gun, that's sixteen rounds in total,"_ I thought, _"and unfortunately I only managed to cut down at least eight or nine Templars, which means that there's about fifty-four to fifty-three left."_

As I peeked around my cover spot, I was greeted with enemy gunfire, which only prompted me to dive and roll behind the pillar to my right.

"Bewegen Sie sich in auf der Assassinen! Nehmen Sie sie heraus (Move in on the Assassin! Take her out)!" one of the Templars called out.

I swallowed, I looked over to my friends, who were in a bit of a fight themselves, as some of the Templars from the city had begun moving in on us. I looked up, remembering that with all of this commotion going on, the Templars could possibly use this chance to get the Marshal-

 _"Shit!"_ I thought, _"the Marshal!"_

I quickly holstered my pistols as I picked up the sound of approaching footsteps, drew my Dirk and waited. As soon as I saw a foot enter my sight, I whirled around, and stabbed the Templar in the stomach, killing him. I pulled him behind the pillar, picked up his assault rifle and took a quick look at it.

 _"I've never seen a rifle like this before,"_ I thought as I examined its make and design, _"but hopefully it'll be enough to cut through this… blockade-"_

But my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a three bullets whizzing by my head, I was so surprised, I spun, fell over, aimed and fired on my attacker, dropping him to the ground. I turned my head and jumped to my feet as another Templar came out and fired on me. A few of the bullets grazed me, with the exception of one, which got me right in the side, and brought me down to one knee; however, I still had the strength to bring the assault rifle up and fire on the Templar, shooting him dead.

 _"Damn… that really hurt,"_ I thought as I ground my teeth together.

I gripped my side tightly before moving over to my pillar again, waited and then jumped out, unleashing a hail of gunfire upon the remaining Templars, shooting at least ten to twelve dead in less than five seconds. Seeing that the Templars were completely caught off guard about me having an assault rifle, I emptied the clip on another dozen or so Templars before moving behind cover to try and reload, as well as keep myself from bleeding even more.

 _"I've got to take these guys out and fast,"_ I thought as I reloaded the rifle.

I got ready to jump out and fire again; however, I was quick to pull my foot back, as the Templars fired on me without even hesitating.

 _"Dammit!"_ I thought.

"Jeder einziehen! Kreisen Sie sie (Everyone move in! Circle her)!" a Templar ordered.

I really didn't have time for this, I pulled out my last grenade, and tossed it without even pulling the pin. Much like last time, someone shouted "grenade" and I sprung out, firing on the remaining Templars and cutting them down.

 _"Finally,"_ I thought as I threw down the rifle.

As I moved into the Town Hall, I picked up my grenade and moved over to a nearby wall to address my wound. This is one of the perks of being an Assassin, everyone gets their own personal medical pouch for when they get hurt, that way when you get back to base the doctor can officially patch you up.

 _"I don't want to risk confronting the Marshal without trying to fix this little problem,"_ I thought.

I pulled out my medical pouch, and opened it up, inside was about twenty-five syringes full of Morphine, some bandages, cotton swabs, tweezers, and rubbing alcohol. I pull out one of the syringes of morphine and pulled off the cap that covered the needle. I took off my coat, undid my vest, and set it off to the side and rolled up my shirt just enough for me to see the bullet wound.

 _"Let's hope my training paid off,"_ I thought.

I rolled up my shirt sleeve and stuck the needle in my arm, injecting myself with the morphine so I could dull the pain. You know, I'm actually I little happy about the shot in my side, because when I injected myself with the morphine, I actually grimaced and groaned. Once I felt the morphine start to take effect, I got right to work, first by taking the tweezers and putting the prongs inside of the gunshot wound, gripping the bullet and pulling out… slowly, but carefully. I tossed the bloodied bullet off to the side and poured a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab, dabbing up the blood and tossing that off to the side as well. After that was done, I pulled out a bandage and slapped it on my side, firmly.

 _"I know I'm going to feel some dull pain once the morphine wears off,"_ I thought.

I rolled my shirt down and put my medical tools away, afterwards I slipped on my vest, slipped on my coat, and slowly stood up. As I dusted myself off, I pulled out both of my pistols and checked each clips, along with my Springfield.

 _"I've got two more clips for my pistols, three full clips for my Springfield, I've got one grenade and I've still got my knives left,"_ I thought, _"alright… let's go."_

I threw on my hood and headed upstairs.


	20. Chapter 19: The Tracer

Chapter 19

The Tracer

 _"It's quiet… too quiet,"_ I thought as I slowly made my way up to the top floor.

Unfortunately, I didn't really remain quiet, as I was soon met with more opposition, along with-

"Marshal Phillipe Pétain!" I barked.

The Marshal turned and gasped when he saw me, judging by the Templars that were with him, I could only guess that these guys were escorting him out of the building.

"The Assassin is here!" barked one of the Templars, "you four, get the Marshal to safety! Everyone else, fire! Fire at will!"

 _"Aw crap,"_ I thought.

I jumped back into the stairway as the Templars fired on me. I pulled out my last grenade and threw it again just like before, only instead of letting the Templars scream and scatter like a bunch of cockroaches, I drew my Springfield and waited.

"Grenate!" one of the Templars shouted.

Without warning, I jumped out from behind cover, aimed and fired a single shot at the grenade I threw, blowing it up and sending everyone flying off of their feet. Some of the Templars were knocked unconscious due to being slammed against the hallway walls by the blast of the grenade, others were just thrown off of their feet, those same Templars that I shot dead as I charged down the hallway with both pistols in my hands. I had to assassinate Phillipe before he escapes!

 _"He's not going to slip through my fingers,"_ I thought as I holstered my weapons and kept running.

I made my way down the other stairway and back to the main floor, where the Marshal and his Templar escort were nearing the sight of the massacre that I left at the front door. I quickly drew my Springfield, took aim and fired, shooting one of the Templars in the back and killing him. Now I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't shoot the Marshal and get it over with… well, because I didn't want to take out my target first without hearing his last words first. That's why.

"The Assassin comes for me!" Phillipe cried out.

The three remaining Templars dropped their rifles and drew their short swords.

"Don't worry Marshal, we'll handle this Hündin (bitch)," said the Templar Major.

I frowned under my hood and drew my Karabela and Dirk.

 _"Buddy… you did not just call me that,"_ I thought.

The Templars engaged me, all three of them charging forward at the same time, when the first Templar swung on me, I spun around behind him and drove my Karabela through his back, blood sprayed out as I pulled out my saber.

As I turned to block an oncoming attack from the second Templar, I kicked him away and jumped back as the major swung his sword at my neck. I gripped my weapons tightly and waited for either one to make a move, sure enough, the second Templar was first to strike before the major. I didn't need to do anything to elaborate, I just waited for him to swing on me with his sword, which I managed to disarm with my Dirk; then I kicked him in the side of the ribs before driving my Karabela through his neck with a sickening stab. I watched as his stumbled and fell backwards, clutching his neck and choking on the blood that was quickly filling his mouth.

"Looks like it's just you and me major," I said as I sheathed my Dirk.

The Templar Major cocked his head to the left and smirked.

"Sie verwenden nur Ihre Säbel (You're only using your saber)?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Ich habe nicht meine beiden Waffen müssen Sie zu besiegen (I don't need both of my weapons to defeat you)," I said.

The major smiled and charged at me, as he swung upward, I leaned back. Seeing that I dodged his first strike, the major gritted his teeth and swung my throat. I ducked. The major gritted his teeth again and started lashing out at me with blind swings, which I was able to block effortlessly with my weapon.

When the major came at me for a thrust, I managed to disarm him, with my Karabela, via a simple twirl of my wrist before I drove my blade into his chest. I watched as the major tried to hang onto the blade of my saber, as he felt himself starting to slip and fall over; but I pulled my weapon out and the man fell over in a pool of his comrade's blood.

"Too easy," I said.

As I sheathed my Karabela, I turned towards the Marshal and saw that he had started to make a run for it.

"Not on my watch," I said as I drew one of my throwing knives.

I gave chase, my boots pounding against the floor as the Marshal attempted to flee. As he rounded the corner, I rounded the corner as well and brought my knife up, I took a good look at the Marshal from behind as I tried to find a good spot to stick my knife in him. After I chose my spot, I reeled back and let the knife fly.

A satisfying _thunk_ was heard as the knife plunged into the Marshal's calf, causing him to let out a pained yelp and start limping towards the front door. I ejected my right wrist blade and charged, driving it right into his back with a sickening stab and bringing him down in the process.

 _"Gotcha,"_ I thought.

As I pulled out my blade, I rose to my feet and turned the Marshal over so I could get a good look at his face, which was already stained with blood.

"W-Why? Why Assassin?" he asked.

"Why? Why you ask?" I asked as I knelt beside him, "the answer is simple Marshal, you sold yourself out just to appease Hitler and his Templar allies."

"But… All I was doing… was ensuring a safe and prosperous future for my people once the war was over," said Phillipe, "the Templars themselves even mentioned a possible spot for France in their rule."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute… I thought that the Templars were allied with the Nazis," I said, "why would they off you guys a spot in their rule and not Hitler's?"

Phillipe winced and laid back on the floor, blood was leaking out from under him.

"I've already said too much…" he said faintly, "though my time is ending… I wonder… was it all worth it… in the end?"

I watched as Phillipe gave his last breath, before dying on the floor. I reached forward and closed his eyes.

"Nic nie jest warte wyprzedane swoich ludzi, aby wspomóc państwa ciemiężcy (Nothing is worth selling out your people, to aid the rule of the oppressor)," I said as I rose to my feet.

I walked out of the Town Hall and regrouped with my friends, whom were waiting for my return. When Benjamin saw me, he quickly stood up and pointed at me. André was quick to approach me.

"Well?" he asked.

"Marshal Phillipe Pétain is dead," I said.

André smiled and gave me a big, warm hug.

"Victoire pour les Assassins!" he shouted as he turned towards everyone.

The Assassins cheered. I smiled.

"With Marshal Pétain dead, perhaps we can add one of our own in office," said André.

"One of your own? Won't that just provoke the Templars into sending more of their own into Vichy to hunt you all down?" I asked.

"I don't mean "One of our own" as in an Assassin. I meant an ally to the Assassins," said André.

"André is right, there may be a few allies that are left who can play the part of a collaborator," said Benjamin, "the Templars and Nazis won't even know the difference."

"And if they ask where Phillipe is?" I asked.

"We'll have 'em say that we killed the man and scattered ourselves all over France," said André, "if the Templars hear that, then they'll most likely check the occupied territory up North before checking Vichy. That way we'll have a lot of breathing room while we look for the artifact."

"Speaking of artifact," said a voice.

I turned and saw an Assassin come out of the Town Hall, carrying what looked like… some kind of book that I've never seen before.

"What's with the book?" I asked.

"It's not a book," the Assassin said as he popped it open, "it looks like the piece to something."

I gasped. The object that the Assassin was holding… it looked like it belonged to something… whatever that something is, I'm curious if it'll be something that will help us locate the artifact.

"Ah, my brothers in Italy have found a piece similar to this," said Adriano, "this piece is a part of something called a Matrix Tracer. A piece of advanced technology that was left behind that had the power to track the artifact."

I frowned.

"That doesn't make sense, why would they leave something like this behind that could track down something that's meant to be kept hidden from the world?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"Maybe the crest wasn't left behind," said Adriano.

"Either way, if the Marshal was holding onto this, we can only assume he was probably going to hand this over to the Templars once they had killed us all off," André said as he examined the piece of metal, "or at least… that's what I personally believe."

I watched as André took the piece of the tracer from the Assassin's hand and placed it in mine. I was surprised.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I think it's better that you bring this piece with you back to your brothers in Poland," said André, "let them know what's transpired here. If the Templars don't know about this tracer, then it's only a matter of time before they do."

I gave André a nod.

"I will," I said.

I turned and prepared to go, when André made me stop.

"By the way Ariela," he said.

I turned and looked at him. A smile etched across André's face.

"Thank you," he said.

I smiled back at him.

"It was a pleasure," I said.

My return back to Poland was long, quiet and a tad boring, with no Templar fighters giving me a hassle, the same went for the Nazis as well. When I went to the grandmaster to deliver my report and showed him the piece of the tracer, he said something that… kind of threw me off…

"You know about this… tracer?" I asked.

"Not necessarily," said Jasper, "we've only heard rumors about it after one of our brothers discovered an old journal left behind by someone else who stumbled upon the artifact itself many years ago."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You mean someone found this thing and used it to find the artifact?" I asked, "and that same person made a journal on where to find the pieces? Who was it?"

Jasper shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't know," he said, "all I know is that whoever wrote that journal is long dead by now."

I frowned.

"Never the less, there is another rumor to this tracer and the pieces that are scattered," said Jasper, "it's said that there's approximately nine pieces to rebuilding the tracer that are scattered around here in Europe. If our brothers in Italy managed to find one themselves and we managed to gain one in France, that means there's only seven pieces left."

"And it also means the Templars have claimed one or more of the pieces themselves," I said.

Jasper nodded and pondered for a bit before getting up out of his seat.

"You've done well Ariela, because of you, Phillipe Pétain is dead and the Templars are down two more allies, to aid them in their cause," he said with a smile.

I smiled back.

"Just wanted to make up for my past transgression mentor," I said.

Jasper chuckled.

"Is there… anything else you wanted me to do?" I asked.

"For now, you are free to go and rest, I'm sure you're eager to get some proper rest after your mission," he said.

I didn't want to admit it; but deep down, I agreed with what Jasper said. I could use some proper rest after my trip to France, sure the beds at the Assassin Den in France were alright; but I missed my own bed… it was a lot softer.

"As you wish mentor," I said.

I turned and left Jasper's office, as I made my way down the hall, I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard someone call my name.

"Witam Ariela (Hello Ariela)," said a voice.

I whirled around and gasped, seeing an old face greet me with a smile.

"Helena? W-What are… How are…?" I asked.

"I know, it's crazy right?" she asked, "I mean, all it took was for me to go ask for help in finding my little brother and they added me to their cause."

"Your brother?" I asked.

Helena nodded.

"Yeah… Grant," she said, "he and I got separated during the invasion. Ever since that day, I've been worried about him, wondering if he was killed or captured by those… bastards up there."

I gave Helena a solemn nod.

"Wiem co masz na myśli (I know what you mean)," I said, "where'd you even manage to find him?"

Helena smiled.

"Believe it or not, he was trying to find a way to get to Romania on foot," she said, "poor kid… he was so scared to death, he wouldn't even dare to let any of the Assassins touch him. It was only after he heard my voice that he was actually willing to cooperate."

I smiled.

"Where's your brother now?" I asked.

"He's in the infirmary still resting," said Helena, "thank god that I managed to find him before it was too late… I mean… to be separated from him for almost a year…"

I put a hand on Helena's shoulder.

"Truly, god was watching out for him during his struggle," I said.

Helena smiled back at me, a stray tear ran down her left cheek and she wiped it away.

"Tak ... On naprawdę był (Yeah... He really was)," she said.

As I turned to go, Helena called out to me.

"Hey Ariela," she said.

I turned around and looked at her.

"Listen… about the history you and I had… and about your parents…" she started to say.

I put up a hand.

"Stop that," I said, "it's all in the past you know?"

Helena didn't say anything.

"Besides, things are different now," I said with a laugh.

Helena laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah," she said.

I turned, getting ready to leave again when Helena called to me.

"And also Ariela," she said.

I turned and looked at her.

"Wyglądasz jak Badass ogółem w tych szatach (You look like a total badass in those robes)," she said as she folded her arms.

I let out a soft giggle.

"Teraz jesteś po prostu paskudne (Now you're just being nasty)," I said.

Helena and I laughed as we parted ways. I went into my room, where I stripped down, and threw on my pajamas, as I put my shirt on, I stopped when I looked at myself in the mirror. I walked over and rolled my shirt up just enough to check the wound that Assassin Hunter gave me. I slowly reached up and gave the bandage a small poke, causing me to wince and take a small step back as a bolt of pain shot through me. It wasn't bad like before, however, the bolt was enough to make me grit my teeth.

 _"You know, you'd think that the Assassins would make some armor to help better protect themselves from the new weapons the Templars are carrying around,"_ I said as I rolled my shirt down.

I walked over to my bed, crawled on top and laid out on my back, looking at the ceiling. I let out a sigh and put my right hand to my forehead as my mind reflected on everything that's happened.

 _"A device that's used to track down the artifact… this can't be a coincidence,"_ I thought, _"whoever left the crest… the artifact here… and whoever left the tracer did it for a reason…"_

I let out another sigh.

 _"Ugh… there's so much to take in,"_ I thought, _"there's so many questions I have to ask that need answered… but… who do I even go to?"_

I put my hand to my heart, the steady thumps of each beat was enough to make me close my hand up into a fist.

 _"I'd go to Jake… but after what I said to him, I'm sure the last thing he wants is to see my face,"_ I thought.

Just then, there was a small knock at the door.

"Come in," I said.

I turned as the door opened and sat up fast.

"J-Jake!" I exclaimed.

"Hey there kiddo," he said.

I turned bright red.

"J-Jake, w-what are you… Why are you… You… Me… Here… How… Um…!" I exclaimed.

"What are you freaking out about?" asked Jake.

I looked down and tugged on my shirt.

"I'm sorry… I… I wasn't expecting a visit from you… I thought you were still mad," I said shamefully.

Jake walked over and sat on the bed right next to me, I watched as he reached over and… pulled me into his arms!?

"I'm not mad," he said, "actually… to be quite honest… you had every right to lash out at me. I kind of did deserve that punch."

I didn't say anything, I just felt my cheeks heat up as Jake placed my head on his lap.

"I shouldn't have been so harsh to you Ari… In fact, when you said those words to me… I kind of felt bad for yelling at you after we returned from Turkey," he said, "you were… you weren't in your right mind… you were damaged, broken, traumatized… I should've been a better superior instead of being so… soft and caring."

My cheeks heated even more, as Jake ran his fingers through my hair.

"But… I guess I'm a lot better at being what I am now… just a soldier for the brotherhood and nothing more," he said.

I stifled a squeak as he placed a hand on my cheeks.

"You're a good kid Ari… You really are… And for what it's worth, matured into a fine, young Assassin, after you retooled yourself," he said.

I quickly sat up and looked Jake right in his eyes… staring right at him. Jake blushed.

"A-Ari?" he asked.

I put a hand on Jake's cheek, which caused him to blush even more. Before I knew it, I could feel my hand pulling him towards my face, the tension was starting to build, my breathing started to get slower, my face felt like it was slowly burning up, a hint of breath wafted in my nose as Jake and I came close… before I knew it… our lips touched.

I felt a sudden chill go down my spine as Jake and I closed our eyes, that same chill was then replaced by a warm feeling that started in my heart and spread throughout my body. For a moment there, I was actually enjoying this, I mean… I had never kissed a boy before until now; however, something entered my mind and before I knew it, I pushed Jake away from me.

"Nie (No)!" I exclaimed, "I shouldn't have done that."

"Ari, I'm sorry," said Jake.

I didn't say anything, I just curled up on my left side, facing away from Jake.

"Ari," he said.

"Nie dotykaj mnie (Don't touch me)!" I snapped, "please…"

Jake let out a sigh, I felt him get up.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said.

I turned and saw Jake make his way towards the door before turning around and looking at me.

"Take care of yourself kiddo," he said with a smile.

I watched as Jake left the room. I cursed under my breath and gripped my pillow tightly, digging my nails into it.

 _"Co to do cholery jest nie tak ja? Dlaczego jeszcze zrobić (What the hell is wrong me? Why did I even do that)?"_ I thought, _"chodź, Ariela, Jake nie jest zły ... on po prostu stara się zwrócić uwagę na ciebie jest wszystko (come on, Ariela, Jake's not a bad guy... he's just trying to look out for you is all)."_

As I stretched my legs out, I started to feel… weird… like… really, funny type of weird. I slowly touched my lower lip before putting a hand on my stomach. Was I starting to feel sick? No, I couldn't be sick. I can't be sick.

 _"Co jest ze mną nie tak (What's wrong with me)?"_ I thought.


	21. Chapter 20: The Templar Ace

Chapter 20

The Templar Ace

July 10, I had awakened from a long and restful sleep. I just came back home from another mission given to me by the brotherhood. Ever since I had gotten finished assassinating the Marshal… I've been doing what I usually do during my downtime: Reading… taking some time to reflect on how far I've come since joining the brotherhood… or just hanging out in the library to get away from my friends just for the fuck of it.

During the time span… I've thought about my sister from time to time… I miss her so much. God knows what kind of torment she's going through… no, not torment… Hell. What kind of living hell has she been subjected to?

 _"I know Kenneth said he would help me find my sister… and I believe him… but how long is it going to take him to find her?"_ I thought.

I let out a sigh and shook my head.

 _"Have faith Ariela, I'm sure Kenneth hasn't forgotten the promise he made to you,"_ I thought, _"after all, you retooled your training for him."_

I let out another sigh and sunk further into the chair by my wall next to my closet. My sister wasn't the only thing that's been on my mind as well… I've also thought about what happened between Jake and I… ever since what happened that night in my bedroom… I start to get all weird whenever I see him around the compound. Not like weird as in abnormal or funny, but… no… it was funny, that same funny type of weird again in the pit of my stomach.

 _"Ugh… for fuck's sake it wasn't_ that _good of a kiss!"_ I thought bitterly.

Just then, I turned to the sound of someone knocking on my door.

"Jest otwarte (It's open)," I said.

The door opened, Lydia walked inside.

"Lydia, hi," I said with a smile.

"Heya kiddo, I thought I might find you here," she said, "I have a task for you by order of our mentor."

Lydia tossed a folder on my lap, I opened it up and saw something that caught my eye.

"The Templars are going to be aiding the Nazis in a planned attack on Britain," she said, "they believe that by adding a few of their own within Hitler's ranks the attack will go by smoothly and without incident, much like the recent campaigns they've been on these past couple of months."

I gave Lydia a look.

"There's something else isn't there?" I asked.

"There is," said Lydia, "our brothers in Britain believe that the Templars are planning on deploying ground teams to look for their den. They believe that whatever Phillipe had, that piece of the tracer you got back in France, they believe it's located somewhere in Britain."

"And the Templars believe our brothers are in possession of it?" I asked.

"It's possible," said Lydia.

I got up out of my chair.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"First, I want you to head to the Templar airfield located near the city of Amsterdam, make sure you cause as much havoc and destruction as you possibly can," said Lydia, "then Jasper wants you to head to Britain and assist the Royal Airforce for the coming attack."

"Why can't I just go for the Nazi Airfields instead of just the Templars?" I asked.

Lydia laughed as she made her way towards the door.

"Because they can't fly worth a damn," she said as she left.

Lydia wasn't wrong, as an Assassin pilot, I was able to surpass even the most highly trained Nazi pilots in air combat for superiority in the skies to a certain degree. It's only when I go toe-to-toe with a Templar pilot… that I actually start to show a lot of difficulty.

"Oh, and by the way," Lydia said as she poked her head into the room, "be careful if you run into Bertram."

"The Templar Ace?" I asked, "why should I be worried about him? I can hold my own against that guy no problem."

Lydia frowned and shook her head.

"Don't get arrogant," she said, "Bertram isn't just _any_ Templar Ace Ariela, he's a Templar Triple Ace."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Co znajduje się w Triple Ace (What's a Triple Ace)?" I asked.

"A Triple Ace, or "Flying Ace" if you're feeling old fashioned is a pilot who's been credited for shooting down seven enemy aircraft in battle," said Lydia, "Bertam earned the title of Triple Ace for mounting up not several kills, but mounting up to around approximately sixty-two kills against enemy pilots… all of them were Assassins."

I shivered.

"All of them… were Assassins?" I asked, "w-wait? What about regular pilots? How many regular pilots has he shot down?"

"It hasn't been confirmed," said Lydia, "we only know the number of Assassins he's shot down while flying through the sky. Take my advice and be extremely careful Ariela, if he catches you he _will_ kill you."

I gave a nod, Lydia closed the door behind her as she left. I went into my closet, grabbed my equipment, geared up, and headed to the airfield, where my plane was waiting. As I walked over to her, I couldn't help but to admire the three markings that were decorated on the side of her nose, symbolizing the three Templar pilots I shot down during my trip to France.

 _"Better get going,"_ I thought as I climbed up and into my aircraft.

I fired up the engine, I saw a pair of Assassins open up the doors, as I moved out onto the runway.

 _"First get some speed,"_ I thought as I lurched the plane forward, _"now… gun it!"_

As I felt my plane accelerate, I pushed the stick forward, sending me flying down the runway, up and into the sky. I smiled and let out a high pitched squeal of excitement.

 _"This is never not awesome,"_ I thought happily.

As I leveled out, I turned and made my way towards Amsterdam, flying over the city I once called my home. I didn't let the sight bother me though, all I did was just let out a small sigh and kept flying towards my destination, all the while praying that nothing bad would happen.

 _"Great, now that I'm thinking that I have a feeling something bad_ will _happen now,"_ I thought.

Fortunately, karma didn't come back and bite me in the ass as I kept making my way to Amsterdam, which was located in the Netherlands. I thought for sure it would come back to bite me when I flew over Germany, but I guess I was wrong then as well. As I crossed the border into the Netherlands, I kept flying towards Amsterdam, keeping an eye out for any possible Templar airfields. Now… the Templars might've inserted a few of their own within the Nazi ranks; but that doesn't mean they have to lose face, why do I say that you ask? Well let me put it to you like this…

You know how Hrodulf had that huge-ass stronghold in that open valley away from the city? The Templars like to keep to their more personal affairs, without having their Nazi buddies getting in the way of their true goals. Which is why, I highly doubt that they're going to have an airfield out in the open.

 _"If I'm going to get the attention of the Templars, I need to make a little noise,"_ I thought.

After doing some quick thinking, I decided to go look for a suitable target that would get me noticed by the Templars… but unfortunately… I didn't really get my chance. And why didn't I get my chance…?

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _"Motherfucker!"_ I thought bitterly.

I jerked my plane to the left and flew down to the ground below, hearing the sound of .50 caliber gunfire from outside of the cockpit. I turned around and saw three Me109s in hot pursuit. The thing is though… these 109s weren't exactly sporting colors that you would find on a typical 109. Which meant…

 _"These are Bertram's men!"_ I thought.

I made a hard jerk on the stick, turning around, launching myself forward, and then pulled back, bringing myself straight up. I managed to turn myself right side up and level out just in time to see the Templars had gotten themselves situated and were making their way towards me, each plane firing a hail of bullets at my fighter. I jerked to the right and made my way towards one of the wingmen, spraying him with a storm of .50 calibers as soon as I locked on him.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

The pilot, seeing that he was getting shot at, turned and tried to get out of my line of fire, inadvertently letting the captain take the hits in his place.

 _"Głupek (Dumbass),"_ I thought.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

I fired on the lead pilot, riddling him with .50 caliber rounds, I watched as my guns chewed through his plane until it exploded and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap of smoke, flame, and crushed metal.

 _"One down,"_ I thought.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

I fired on the second wingman, forcing him to turn and try to take off, get out of range of my guns; but he was too slow and as a result, his plane took too much damage and was starting to trail smoke.

 _"Get back here!"_ I thought as I picked up more speed.

Unfortunately, I had inadvertently let my guard down once again; because while I was busy chasing the second wingman, I had forgotten about the first. And you'll never guess where he came flying in from…

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _"Oh fucking hell!"_ I thought as I moved to the left, _"why do they always have to come in from above!?"_

I made a hard left turn and went higher into the air, all while trying to keep this chumps rounds from hitting my plane. It wasn't long until I found myself flying upside down and then immediately flipping right side up. I turned around and saw the 109 was still on my ass, I frowned and pulled back on the stick, causing my opponent to go flying right ahead of me.

 _"I have you now,"_ I thought.

I opened fire…

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

Bit by bit, the enemy 109 slowly fell apart until it erupted in an explosion, spinning out of control and plummeting to Earth with a loud boom.

 _"One more to go,"_ I thought.

I gripped the stick tightly and picked up my speed again, staying in hot pursuit of the last 109, which was still trailing smoke.

 _"I don't want to kill him,"_ I thought, _"he might be on his way back to the airfield."_

And that's exactly what happened, I followed the pilot back towards his destination, which actually turned out to be the airfield I was looking for.

 _"A mountain top? Really?"_ I thought in disbelief, _"actually… that's a pretty smart idea, I mean this is probably the last place the Assassin's would ever think to look."_

I smiled and sped up a little more so I could get a closer look at what was in store for me.

 _"Okay, the base on a mountain, I see all of the planes as well as the personnel,"_ I thought.

I closed my eyes and concentrated, activating my Eagle Vision and looking down below.

 _"AA Gun nests,"_ I thought, _"better fly high."_

I got ready to fly higher when something clicked.

 _"No, bad idea… they'll be able to get me if I fly high… Hmm… No, flying high is going to probably be my best chance at not having to deal with all of them firing at me at a much closer range…"_ I thought, _"or better yet…"_

I made a hard right turn and leveled out, I flew down a little low and activated my Eagle Vision again so I could locate my hidden targets.

 _"Found you,"_ I thought.

I wrapped my fingers around the stick, lurched forward, draped my finger on the trigger and squeezed it.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _BOOM!_

 _BOOM!_

 _BOOM!_

Three direct hits!

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _"Even if I don't get all of them, these quick runs should be enough to scare and confuse the hell out of the Templars,"_ I thought.

After I made my first run, I turned and flew over the nests again, unleashing a storm of rounds upon the AA Gun nests that were hiding out in the woods.

 _"Eat this,"_ I thought.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _BOOM!_

 _BOOM!_

I might've been able to take out five guns, but these attacks were more than sufficient enough to scare these guys half to death and possibly disable their weapons… possibly, being the key word.

 _"Now that the flak operators have something to think about, let's get to that-"_

But my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of gunfire going off.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

I swerved out the way and looked up, expecting a couple of 109s to be flying right at me… but I was wrong. It _was_ a 109, but it didn't sport the same design as the rest; via the German cross taking on the look of a Templar cross, instead this 109 white and grey colors, with a big, red Templar cross on the sides of the tail and on both sides of the wings. I gasped, when I saw who was in the pilot's seat of that 109.

 _"Oh-no, Bertram!"_ I thought fearfully.

I couldn't believe it… the Templar Ace was here… and he was ready to take me down. But as soon as I was getting ready to take off… something clicked in my head.

 _"No wait… I want to see if I can't take this guy down,"_ I thought.

But as I gripped my stick and turned to engage this legendary pilot… I had no idea that I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life.

 _"Alright Bertram, let's dance,"_ I thought.

I felt my plane vibrate as I squeezed the trigger on the stick, spitting a hail of bullets at Bertram's plane.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

I watched as Bertram's plane swerved to the left, avoiding the storm of machinegun rounds that came flying at him with incredible speed. I grinned and gave chase, firing off more rounds at my opponent.

 _"I don't know what Lydia was so worried about,"_ I thought, _"this guy's no Ace, he's a total mi-"_

But my thoughts were interrupted as Bertram flew low when I got a lock on him. I found and followed him downward as well, spraying him again with more machinegun rounds. But as a few of the bullets started to impact against their designated target, Bertram turned and flew to the right and out of my line of sight. I panicked and pulled up when I saw that I was heading for straight ground. I looked around wildly, trying to find him.

 _"He's a lot more slippery than an eel,"_ I thought.

I pulled back on the stick, going into a half "S" maneuver and leveling out just in time to see Bertram flying right at me.

 _"Damn!"_ I thought.

Bertram fired, forcing me to fly below him. I turned back and looked around to see if I took any hits. I did… actually I don't think I even took just a "few" hits, there weren't even grazes riddled across my aircraft these were dead-on hits.

 _"This was a bad idea,"_ I thought as I turned around, _"I'm not ready to take on Bertram, I need to make my way to Britain. Maybe the Assassins there might have something that can even the playing field."_

With that I turned around and made my way to Britain. Another big mistake I made without even realizing because as soon as I started to bolt, the air started to become filled with smoky black puffs of air. I forgot that I didn't destroy some of the guns before Bertram arrived.

 _"Fuck! I've got to be careful, it'll tear my aircraft to pieces,"_ I thought as I flew through the barrage.

I flew out of the area, with a bit of difficulty… to say that I managed to get through the barrage of flak would be a lie, as my aircraft took a few marks from some of the flak shells that exploded as I flew away from the airfield and continued my retreat. I breathed a sigh of relief as I continued making my way towards Britain, believing that I had escaped death once again… or so I thought…

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

I let out a gasp and turned to see Bertram was on my tail, firing a hail of bullets at my back as I tried to make my way to my destination.

 _"On chce mnie zabić (He's going to kill me),"_ I thought as I flew faster, trying to get out of range.

But Bertram didn't let up, he kept pursuing me, like a relentless bloodhound who's caught the scent of an escaped prisoner. I knew I had to shake him off of me or I was dead, and if Bertram didn't light me up to the point where I explode into a raging fireball then he'd tear my plane up to the point where I would spin out of control and come crashing into the water. Now… I know I sounded worried at that part, but I'd like to remind you guys that my training in the Assassins made me a fairly decent swimmer.

Unfortunately, I was flying over the North Sea, not some warmer body of water, so even if the crash won't kill me then hypothermia will.

 _"I don't want to fly high, so unfortunately I'm going to have to fly low,"_ I thought as I flew to lower altitude.

I flew lower to the water, the propeller of the plane started to cause a spray of mist to pick up and stick to my cockpit. I didn't mind it too much, just so long as I the water didn't completely obscure my vision.

 _"I've got to move faster before-"_

But my thoughts were cut off as I heard Bertram fire on me again, the sound of the machinegun rounds flying enter the water was heard outside of my craft, which made me start to panic. I pulled back on the stick and rose up before going forward again, putting as much force as I could to make the plane fly faster and faster. I thought I had managed to put some distance between Bertram and I… but it only lasted for a short while before I heard the sound of more gunfire again.

Suddenly without warning, I let out a yelp as a few rounds went through my cockpit, one hit me in the leg, another in my shoulder and the last one got me in my left forearm. I cried out in pain, but I gritted me teeth and kept moving.

 _"I can't stop now,"_ I thought.

I looked through the canopy's windshield and saw that I was closing in on my destination. I wanted to smile and let out a relieved laugh, but then I saw two squadrons of British panes heading for Bertram and I. That was when my heart sank.

 _"What if they think I'm a Nazi?"_ I thought.

But as I looked up again, I saw that they were marked differently. They weren't painted like the Spitfires in the RAF.

"Assassins," I murmured.

"Ariela? Ariela? Come in Ariela," a voice said through my comm.

"I'm here," I said.

"This is Lieutenant Connors, we've been expecting your arrival ma'am," said the man, "are you alright?"

I winced as I tried to sit up straight.

"I'm… I'm alright… just took a few shots is all," I said.

"Follow me back to base, we'll get you patched up," said Lieutenant Connors.

"G-Got it," I said.

I pulled up on my stick and followed the pair of Assassin Spitfires into Great Britain. I turned around to see the other Assassins going toe-to-toe with Bertram in a vicious dogfight over the water.

 _"Należy uważać, aby wy ... on cię zabije (Be careful you guys... he'll kill you),"_ I thought.


	22. Chapter 21: Even the field

Chapter 21

To even the playing field

I followed Lieutenant Connors over Great Britain, heading from the North Sea over to… some kind of area that I wasn't very familiar with. Okay, I'll be straight with you guys, it's not that I was unfamiliar with the land, it's just that I took some bad shots when Bertram was chasing me and I was slowly losing blood. It took a lot of willpower to make sure that I had my hands wrapped around my stick so I could steer straight… I swear if any of you boys look hard into what I said just now I will make sure that you don't crack another perverted joke for the rest of your life.

"Hey, Ariela how are you holding up?" asked Connors.

"I'm… I'm fine…" I said, "just trying to keep steering is all."

"Just hang in there Ariela, we're almost there," said Connors.

"Alright," I said.

Connors and I kept flying and flying until we arrived at a small British city northeast of Cambridge. I watched and followed Connors to an open field that looked like it had big patches of grass growing everywhere.

"Be careful when you land Ariela, don't want there to be any possible accidents," he said.

"Huh?" I asked.

"And watch out for those patches of grass you see that are growing," said Connors.

"Oh… Uh… Alright," I said as I came in for a landing.

I landed in the field right behind Connors, pulling back on my stick until my plane came to a complete stop, when I let go I fell back in my seat and let out an exhausted sigh. I brought a hand up, to see how bad my condition had gotten, my hand didn't look drenched in blood sure; but the moment I clenched my fist and opened it, blood had stained my fingers.

"D-Dammit," I groaned as I reached up and opened my cockpit.

I climbed out of my fighter and jumped to the ground, only to drop down on all fours and grind my teeth together from the pain.

 _"Taking on Bertram… What was I thinking?"_ I thought, _"Ariela you idiot, you could've gotten yourself killed…"_

I tried to stand, but the pain caused me to drop to one knee again.

"Ariela Liora?" asked a voice.

"Y-Yeah," I said.

I turned and saw a pair of medics help me up.

"Here, we'll help you back to the compound," said one of the medics.

I gave them a smile.

"Thanks for the hand," I said.

The medics helped me to the compound, as we walked away from my fighter, I turned and saw a pair of Assassins cover my plane with a big tarp… no, not a tarp, camo covering!

 _"This isn't just an open field with big patches of grass…"_ I thought, _"this is an airfield!"_

I smiled as I turned my head forward.

 _"These guys know their stuff,"_ I thought.

We arrived at the compound, which turned out to be a library by the looks of the building I was being brought to. I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Um… I was expecting to be taken to some secret bunker," I said.

"A good number of the buildings here have basements large enough to hold a couple of teams of Assassins," said the first medic, "we took the opportunity to use each of the basements as sort of… bases of operations."

"Smart move," I said with a smile, "wait… don't you guys worry about some of the civilians giving you all weird looks or… something?"

"Not at all," said the second medic, "ever since we've arrived, we've helped keep all of Cambridge in check."

I let out a chuckle. He wasn't wrong, I mean let's be real, these are Assassins we're talking about, we're not like the teachers at this place, how we make a problem worse by confronting a student who's causing trouble for someone and using their… Oh, why do I even bother? You guys know what it's like.

Anyway… the medics brought me to the basement of the library, and sure enough there was a good number of Assassins that had set up shop.

"Charles? George? What's the meaning of this?" one of the Assassins asked.

"It's alright Hugo," said a voice.

I turned and saw Lieutenant Connors behind me. For a second there I thought he had run off to do his own thing, I didn't think he had followed.

"Ronald, who is this girl?" asked Hugo.

For some reason, that was enough to make me raise an eyebrow.

 _"Ronald?"_ I thought as I looked over at the lieutenant, _"funny, he doesn't look like he could pass for a Ronald."_

"This is Ariela Liora, she was the one that our brothers in Poland had sent to assist us," said Ronald.

"It's… true…" I said slowly, "I was… I was…"

Shit, I didn't even realize how much blood I had lost from my trip over here. Before I could even get the rest of the words out, my vision started to get dark, and without warning, I blacked out.

I awoke with a shock, I was panting heavily and buried my face in my hands as I tried to calm myself down. This war was really starting to get to me, these… nightmares… they're starting to become more and more… vivid.

"Morning," said a voice.

I turned and saw Ronald walk into the room, I opened my mouth and prepared to ask what happened; but I already knew what happened… there was no reason for me to ask.

"You really took some nasty hits from Bertram," said Ronald, "you're lucky that our medics took you in here to get patched up before you lost any more blood."

I didn't say anything, I just looked down at myself.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"For the rest of the day yesterday and about half of the day today," said Ronald.

I let out a sigh and swung my legs over the side of the bed, I even shook my head as the memory of the fight I had with Bertram still echoed in my mind.

"I thought I knew how to hold my own in a dogfight… but Bertram…" I surprised myself as a small laugh escaped me, "he really is a Triple Ace."

"All the more reason why he needs to be taken down," said Ronald, "Bertram is going to be participating in the Nazis attack on Britain Ariela, if he does, nothing will stop that devil from tearing through the RAF's forces like tissue."

I gave Ronald a look, like he said something offensive.

"Why do you make it sound like _I_ have to take down that drań (bastard)?" I asked, "you saw the condition he left me and my fighter, if I participate in the battle he'll tear me a part."

I looked down at the floor.

"He's too fast for me," I said.

Ronald walked over and sat right next to me.

"It's not just the plane Ariela, it's Bertram himself as well," he said, "his fighter was customized for his exact style of aerial combat, it has just the right amount of endurance for added protection against enemy gunfire; yet it still manages to retain its top notch speed."

"So in other words…?" I started to ask.

"Bertram's plane has been classified as a fighter with the specifications of a fighter-bomber and an interceptor," said Ronald, "it's a class all on its own."

I just looked at Ronald for a good minute, then I stood up and walked over to my equipment, which was stacked neatly on a nearby chair.

"So in other words… he's practically invincible," I said.

"Unfortunately… yes," said Ronald.

I clenched my fists.

"Cholera (Dammit)…" I muttered under my breath.

I didn't know what to do, I was facing an enemy that had me outclassed in every way, sure I've had a few skirmishes while I was in the air; but Bertram… Bertram was a whole different story, fighting him is like… like…

"Wait a minute…" I said.

I turned towards Ronald, who appeared to be waiting to see if I would say anything else.

"Where was Bertram's plane made?" I asked, "do you know?"

Ronald shook his head.

"No… why?" he asked.

"Because, I think I might have an idea on how I can match Bertram in a fight," I said, "if I can be able to find out where Bertram's plane was manufactured, I can swipe the materials needed to do a quick upgrade on my aircraft."

Ronald gave me a look, like I said something crazy.

"Oh, okay, and just how do you plan on finding out where Bertram's plane was manufactured?" he asked, "we don't even know if it was built in a factory or on an airfield or… wherever."

I smiled and slowly started to get dressed, which caused Ronald to turn the other way.

"I have a few ideas," I said.

Once I got dressed, I told Ronald my plan on how I was going to find out where Bertram got his aircraft word for word. When I was finished, Ronald looked at me like I really _was_ insane.

"And what makes you think that one of Bertram's men is going to tell you what you need to know?" he asked.

I smiled as I slid my pistols into the holsters.

"I have my methods," I said.

Ronald sighed.

"Alright, do what you have to do; but make it quick," he said.

"Me?" I asked, "I'm not going to do anything."

Ronald's eyes went wide.

"WHA-WHY!?" he demanded.

"My superiors said that the Templars plan on deploying ground forces to search for the den once the battle begins," I said, "I'll use this chance to search for those bastards and interrogate them one at a time until someone talks."

Ronald let out an annoyed groan.

"Ariela, you'd better be dammed sure that this plan of yours works," said Ronald, "we need as many able-bodied Assassins if we're going to stand a chance against Bertram and his men."

"Trust me Ronald, it'll work," I said, "I haven't been wrong yet."

Ronald left the room, as I strapped on my Karabela and Dirk, I looked at myself in the mirror and let out a long breath. I didn't want to tell Ronald this, it wasn't the thought of my plan failing that I was worried about, it was the thought of getting killed while my plan was being executed.

 _"This isn't going to be like having to engage enemy soldiers on the ground and having to watch out for machinegun fire as well as support vehicles, snipers and shit, there's going to be an air battle going on right above my head,"_ I thought as I looked down, _"if I'm not careful and an enemy pilot catches me moving through the streets, thy won't think twice about wanting to rain holy hell upon me."_

I looked at my right hand and closed it tightly into a fist.

 _"Steel yourself now Ariela,"_ I thought as I looked at myself in the mirror again, _"you're about to participate in a real battle."_

Just then, I felt my stomach grumble, making me blush with embarrassment as I put my hand against it.

 _"But first… I need to see if I can't grab a quick bite to eat,"_ I said as I walked out of the room.


	23. Chapter 22: The Battle of Britain

Chapter 22

The Battle of Britain

It was July 12, I awoke to the sound of sirens blaring outside, I knew what that meant: Hell was knocking on the door and it wanted in.

 _"Czas na pokaz (It's showtime),"_ I thought as I quickly got geared up and ready to go.

I holstered my pistols, slung my Springfield over my shoulder, strapped on my Karabela and Dirk and threw up my hood. I stepped outside of my bedroom and saw scores of Assassins rushing down the hallway, making their way to the stairs.

"Assassins! Attention all Assassins, prepare for battle!" shouted a voice.

I turned and looked over at the radio sitting on my nightstand, I had forgotten that every Assassin was given one that connected to only the Assassin comm channel so we would be immediately alerted to any possible Templar attack. It only make's sense to, especially considering that the Assassins weren't exactly stationed in one spot and in fact that were pretty much positioned throughout all parts of Britain.

Why do I say that you ask? Simple, because after I had recovered from my injuries, my friends brought me to a nice little place so I could crash… and this hotel was a _very_ nice place.

"Excuse me, Miss Liora?" someone asked.

I turned and saw an Assassin approach me, she looked a little older than me and appeared to be in a hurry.

"I have a message for you, curtesy of Lieutenant Connors," she said.

The Assassin handed me an envelope and hurried off, I don't know where she was headed; but if I had to guess she was probably on her way to help escort civilians to a nearby shelter or… something. I looked down at the envelope and opened it to see a letter that was made out to me. I quickly skimmed through it, not wanting to waste time every detail on what the message said.

 _"So Ronald and his men are going to be playing the eyes in the sky,"_ I thought, _"good."_

As I folded up the letter and stuck it in my coat, I heard Ronald's voice come in through my earpiece… yes, I said earpiece, they gave me an earpiece.

"Ariela?" he asked, "Ariela are you there?"

"I'm here," I said.

"I take it you've got my message," said Ronald.

"Yeah," I said.

"Good, because a few of my men just saw a couple of small transports making their way inland," he said, "we'll keep the enemy occupied as best as we can while you hunt down your targets."

"Got it," I said.

"And Ariela," said Ronald.

"Yes?" I asked.

There was a pause and then Ronald spoke.

"Be careful," he said.

"I will," I said.

As I turned off my communication piece, I let out a sigh as I pulled my hood over my head.

"Bądź ostrożny (You be careful)," I murmured as I made my way downstairs.

I ran outside and looked all around, hearing the sound of gunfire above my head as the RAF, the Assassins, the Nazis, _and_ Templars went head to head in a vicious air battle over Britain. As I stood there in the middle of the streets, gazing at the action going, I snapped out of my daze as the roar of an airplane engine echoed through the air.

"Uh-oh," I said as I ran for cover.

I hid behind a nearby tree, ducking low as an Me109 starting riddling the ground with machinegun fire. I let out a long breath.

 _"To było zbyt blisko (That was too close),"_ I thought as I came out of hiding.

"Ariela, are you alright?" asked Ronald.

"I'm fine," I said, "just nearly got shot up, but I'm fine."

"Well, remember those ground teams I told you about?" asked Ronald.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"They just hit the mainland and they're on their way towards your position," he said.

"What!?" I exclaimed, "how far out are they?"

"Not too far out actually, last I saw they took off towards Cambridge in some military trucks," said Ronald, "my men and I will try to keep the fighters occupied (Fuck!) as best as we can so you can have some free room down there in the streets."

"Got it," I said.

And with that I started climbing, making my up to the roof top and looking out over the battlefield. I frowned.

"I need a Bird's Eye view," I said as I looked around.

I quickly scanned the area, as I didn't get a chance to when I brought here last night. I wished that I did though, I was really unfamiliar with Ipswich.

"Bingo!" I exclaimed as I spotted a church.

Timing it just, I made a mad dash for the church, climbing up the wall as fast as I could, all while keeping an eye out for any potential war birds that might try to see me making my way to the top… or at least I thought until I heard the sound of a few stray bullets hit the building. I turned around fast and gasped as a 109 came flying at me, just then, a Spitfire flew overhead, spraying the enemy fighter and causing him to break off and evade the Spitfire's assault.

 _"That was close,"_ I thought as I kept climbing.

As I climbed on the room, I let out slow deep breaths, realizing that I still had a way to go before making it to the very top: The cross on top of the church.

 _"I'd better hurry too,"_ I thought, _"the longer I wait, the closer those Templars could be moving in on my position."_

I kept going, making my way over to the front of the church, where I started climbing again, higher and higher, the closer I got to my destination, it was as if the sounds of the battle seemed to get more and more clear, the closer I got to the top of the cross. When my right hand managed to reach the top, I flung my left arm up and pulled myself to the top.

 _"Damn, that was a climb,"_ I thought as I was looked out over the town, _"now let's see where you all are."_

Focusing my sight on the whole town down below, my vision shifted as my Eagle Vision went into effect. Up above my head, the sky appeared as though it had become a sea of fire and water, as the battle raged on, I looked back down again and caught a glimpse of line of golden targets making their way towards my position. It's the Templar's ground forces.

 _"They're coming in convoy style?"_ I thought, _"heh, bad move boys."_

I reached into my coat and pulled out a grenade, I pulled the pin, waited for a few seconds and then tossed it down to the ground below. I watched as the lead truck got closer and closer to the grenade and then…

 ** _BOOM!_**

The explosion was so sudden, that the Templar convoy started to erupt in a pani, swerving out of control and going off course. Some of the trucks crashed into each other while the rest either went over curbs and onto the sidewalk. Their reactions were pretty funny to hear, which meant either the soldiers were having a nice conversation during the whole trip or they were having a nice game of cards… either way…

 _"Time to dance,"_ I thought with a smile.

Moving swiftly, I dropped down from the cross on top of the church and landed on the roof, and from the roof, I dropped down onto the roof of one of the trucks, rolling off in the process and landing in the street, where I was quick to drew my Karabela and Dirk as I jumped to my feet.

"Fangen Sie Jungen zu einem ungünstigen Zeitpunkt (Catch you boys at a bad time)?" I asked with a smile.

The reactions…

"Es ist die Frau in der weißen Haube (It's the woman in the white hood)," said one Templar.

"Attentäter (Assassin)!" exclaimed a second Templar.

"Töten Sie den Attentäter (Kill the assassin)!" ordered a Templar officer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a Templar drop his assault rifle and come at me with his short sword, out of the other corner, I saw another Templar come at me with his short sword as well. I smiled.

 _"Rookies,"_ I thought.

As I prepared to deliver a series of lightning fast combos, I felt my heart jump as I heard another Templar officer call out orders to his men.

 _"Damn!"_ I thought.

I quickly sheathed my Dirk and blocked an attack from the first Templar before pushing him back with all of my strength and kicking him in the stomach to knock him back even further, I ducked as the second Templar swung on me before swinging my Karabela and slicing him in his right side. The Templar grunted and dropped his weapon, allowing me to kick him in the back of his right leg so I could force him to the ground.

"Zielen (Take aim)!" the Templar officer called out.

 _"Uh-oh,"_ I thought.

I forced the Templar to his feet, and forced him in front of me.

"Feur (Fire)!" the Templar officer barked.

All at once, the Templar let out pained grunts and groans as his friends fired on him before he could even get a word out. His body shuddered and shook as he was riddled with oncoming gunfire, all the while as I turned and saw the first Templar rise to his feet and make his way over to me.

 _"Aw great,"_ I thought.

As soon as the Templars stopped firing, I threw down my shield, drew my offhand Colt and started squeezing off shots.

"Essen Sie dieses motherfuckers (Eat this motherfuckers)!" I called out.

The soldiers started to scatter, with the exception of three who took a few shots to their shoulders and thighs, seven who took direct hits to their chests and five who took shots to the head. As I moved behind one of the trucks, I turned and parried an attack from the first Templar soldier who attacked me, only to take a strike to the face with the back of his fist, blood and spit to fly off of my lip as I stumbled and fell over; but I turned and kicked him right in the stomach before driving my Karabela in his ribs and kicking him over. With my opponent dead, I ducked behind one of the army trucks.

 _"Okay, let's assess the situation,"_ I thought as checked the ammo in my freshly added clip, _"there's approximately five trucks, each one containing a full squad of Templar soldiers and each squad has an officer in command. So… that's approximately thirty-five Templars I have to deal with."_

I looked out from behind cover and saw the fourteen dead Templars I killed.

 _"Okay, so I have twenty-one left,"_ I thought, _"I don't want to kill any of the officers, one of them might have the information I need to finding out where Bertram got his plane built."_

I cursed, realizing that my chances of keeping at least one officer alive was practically slim to none.

 _"The only way this mission would be a little easier is if-"_

My thoughts were soon interrupted as I heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

 _"Bzdury (Crap),"_ I thought.

I sheathed my Karabela and pulled out another grenade, I planned to pull the pin, when I decided against it, and instead I toss it at the end of the truck, where the footsteps were coming from.

"Granate (Grenade)!"

"Richten Sie es nicht aus, du Idiot! Werfen Sie es zurück (Don't point it out you idiot! Toss it back)!"

The Templar tossed my grenade back, which I caught and put back in my belt. I activated my Eagle Vision and saw that the Templar soldiers were standing behind their cover, waiting for my grenade to "go off". I smiled under my hood, seeing this as a golden opportunity to catch them off guard, and with that, I slowly started making my way towards my targets.

"Was ist passiert (What happened)?"

"Wo ist die Explosion (Where's the explosion?"

I stifled a laugh as I got closer.

"Denken Sie es ein Blindgänger war (Think it was a dud)?"

"Auf keinen Fall, nicht nach mehr als drei Sekunden vergangen (No way, not after over three seconds have passed)."

"Du Idiot! Das heißt, es ist ein Blindgänger (You idiot! That means it is a dud)!"

I arrived at the corner.

"Sehen Sie, warum ich nehmen nicht nur einen schnellen Blick, nicht wahr (Look, why don't I just take a quick peek, huh)?"

I heard the footsteps, I aimed my Colt, as soon as his head was in full view…

 _BANG!_

The Templar took one and dropped to the ground, with his own blood slowly spilling out. His friends started panicking, giving me to opportunity to come out of hiding and squeeze off some more shots, shooting the last two Templars dead before going back behind cover as the rest of their buddies retaliated.

 _"Eighteen left,"_ I thought.

Suddenly, there was a metal thud, I looked around the corner really quick, what I saw next almost made me piss myself.

 _"O cholera (Oh shit)!"_ I thought as I made a run for it.

It was a grenade, which went off, causing the first truck to explode as well and go over onto its side from the explosion. I myself, was forced to make my way inside of the church through the window after putting a couple of rounds through it and jumping through. It wasn't my best idea though, considering that there were civilians inside.

"Um… ello ever'one," I said.

I blushed and gave everyone a sheepish grin… believe me when I say that my British accent wasn't at all on point. I mean how could it be? I'm Polish, I couldn't even try to pass for British… at least I don't-

"Hier drüben (Over here)!"

I peeked out of the window, then I looked over at the civilians inside of the church.

"Please, help us," pleaded an old man.

"Don't let those bloody bastards kill us," pleaded a woman.

I gave everyone a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, these bastards won't be killing anyone in here," I said as I sheathed my Karabela.

I drew my other Colt, jumped to the window ledge and started firing off rounds, forcing the Templars to start scattering as they tried to find cover. I managed to drop at least eight or nine of them with good clean shots to their heads or chests, three of those kills happened to be three out of the five officers in the entire group.

 _"Gotta be careful not to kill the last two,"_ I thought.

I turned towards the frightened civilians.

"Stay inside," I said as I jumped outside.

I emptied my clips and put in two fresh ones.

 _"Three clips left,"_ I thought as I made my way back over to the trucks.

Unfortunately, I had to bolt to the closest truck, the one that toppled over, because the Templars started firing on me from behind cover.

"Halten Sie Ihre Position (Hold your position)!" someone barked.

It was one of the officers.

"Sie sehen, dass die polnisch-deutsche Schlampe! Sie schießen sie auf (You see that Polish-German bitch! You shoot her up)!" ordered the officer.

I felt a sharp jolt in my chest.

 _"O kurwa, że (Oh fuck that),"_ I thought.

I activated my Eagle Vision again so I could assess the situation. Ten left. Two of them were the officers. I holstered my weapons as my sight shifted back to normal and I pulled out two of my grenades. I pulled the pins out of each one and threw them both towards the enemy.

"Grenades!" the officers called out.

I heard the grenades go off, followed by the sound of two or three trucks getting knocked over as well as the sound of Templars crying out in pain. Guess some of them were caught in the blast.

 _"Now!"_ I thought.

I jumped out from behind cover, my Colts flash out in front of me as I slowly made my way through the wreckage. I looked down at the ground to see a couple of wounded Templar foot soldiers who were trying to stay alive after getting thrown off of their feet.

"Hilf… mir (Help… me)," one of them begged.

Now… normally, I would've just kept walking, let him suffer like they let my people suffer. But… I'm not that kind of girl anymore.

"Help yourself," I said.

 _BANG!_

I shot him right in the head, ending his life. I kept moving slowly, only to duck behind the nearest truck as I heard someone step out and aim their weapon at me. The sound of machinegun rounds was heard from behind me as bullets ricocheted off of the vehicle.

"Ich habe sie bekommen! Sie ist hinter dem dritten LKW (I've got her! She's behind the third truck)!" the Templar called out.

"Surround ihr! Nicht der Mörder entkommen lassen (Surround her! Don't let the Assassin escape)!" ordered one of the officers.

I gripped my twin Colts, if memory serves me I fired four shots out of each of them, which meant I had eight rounds left before I had to reload.

 _"That should be more than enough,"_ I thought.

Just then, I heard the faint sound of footsteps heading towards me, the Templars were moving in. I took a deep breath and prepared to jump out when I activated my Eagle Vision one more time to see what I was dealing with.

 _"Nine, two of them are the officers,"_ I thought, _"they've split their soldiers into two groups, two on one side and five on the other. My guess is that the two are assuming the role as the bait while the rest are the main strike force."_

I smirked.

 _"Which means,"_ I thought.

I rolled out from behind my cover, squeezing off my last eight rounds on the five Templar foot soldiers without hesitation. Even as one of them opened his mouth to speak, he was cut short as one of my bullets flew through the air and hit him right in the chest and head, causing him to go down with a dull thud.

"Hey Assassin!" someone called out.

I threw down my Colts and blocked a sneak attack from one of the Templars in team two, who tried to hit me in the face with the butt of his rifle.

"Ah, so you guys speak English," I said.

I didn't plan to block and push him back after I stopped him from hitting me though, no, I caught it, pulled the bastard towards me and kicked him right in the thigh, forcing him to one knee before I kicking him in the chest and knocked him over.

"MP41," I said as I looked at the weapon, "practical. Standard issue."

I took aim and prepared to fire when his friend fired back, forcing me to jump behind cover again.

"Are you alright?" asked the second Templar.

I turned and saw that his friend had jumped up and regrouped with his buddy, thinking fast, I looked down at the MP41 and smiled.

"Hmm…" I said.

All at once, I jumped out in front of them.

"Here, catch!" I called out.

I threw the assault rifle back at the first Templar, who stumbled around as he caught it.

"Whoa, wait, huh-"

But before either of them could get their bearings, I drew my weapons as I flew in and sliced the first Templar across his stomach with my Karabela and stabbed his friend in the heart with my Dirk. Killing them both.

"Hmm… Cake," I said as I sheathed my weapons.


	24. Chapter 23: An uneasy alliance

Chapter 23

An uneasy alliance

With the last of the soldiers dead, I walked back over to my thrown down Colts and reloaded them as I looked up at the sky. It seemed that the battle was starting to die down and that the German's were in full retreat, along with the Templars.

 _"I hope we managed to cut down as much of Bertram's forces as possible,"_ I thought.

I looked around the wreckage before me in the streets… it seemed quiet… too quiet…

"In Ordnung euch! Ich habe Ihre Kumpane fertig herausnehmen (Alright you guys! I got finished taking out your cronies)!" I called out as I holstered my weapons, "jetzt Pussy-Basis "um und komm heraus zu stoppen (now stop pussy-footing' around and come on out)!"

I waited for a few seconds… a minute even give or take, and sure enough the last Templars… the two surviving officers, had stepped out, each one with a pistol in their hands.

"Luger PO8," I said, "standard sidearm used by all officers in the Nazi military."

The Templars each gave me a surprised look.

"H-How do you know that?" the first officer asked.

I smirked.

"Ah, you speak English as well," I said, "and if you must know… when you're an Assassin, you have to know a lot of certain things before being deployed to the field. And one of those things and knowing your weapons."

I drew my Karabela and Dirk.

"And speaking of weapons," I said, "are we _really_ about to settle this fight at such a low caliber?"

The Templar officers both looked at each other, then they looked at me and tossed their weapons to the sides. They both reached around and drew their melee weapons, officer's silver swords that appeared to bear the Luftwaffe markings.

"Interesting," I said.

"I'll get her first," said the first officer.

"Adimar, no!" warned the other officer.

"I'll strike this bitch down easy Oberon!" exclaimed Adimar.

The Templar jumped forward.

"DIE!" he bellowed.

But all I did was parry his attack and kick him right in the stomach, causing the poor bastard to go down to one knee. Adimar looked up as he slowly rose to his feet, gripping his weapon tightly and swinging on me again, I simply stepped back and dodged each of his strikes without even using any extravagant evasive moves; it wasn't until he tried to strike me in the face with a roundhouse that I ducked, took my Dirk and stabbed him through the shoulder.

"Argh!" he yelped.

Then I took my Karabela and drove it through his back.

"Now what did you say about striking me down easy?" I asked.

I pulled my weapons out and kicked him over, he was dead before he even hit the ground. I turned towards Oberon, who was ready for a fight.

"Kommt, lasst uns tanzen (Come let's dance)," I said as I beckoned him.

Oberon brought his sword out to the side and charged, he jumped and crashed his blade against my own, causing a loud ringing to echo through the streets. It didn't take long for the two of us to start trading blows, with Oberon keeping me on defense while he was on offense.

 _"Keep a close eye on his attack pattern,"_ I thought as I blocked his next attack.

Oberon went for my left, which I blocked with my Dirk and struck him in the nose with my pommel, giving me a brief window to grab him and drive my knee into his stomach. Oberon stumbled a bit and tried to get the air back into his lungs, which gave me another opportunity to try to get some information out of him.

"Bertram's plane," I said, "where did he get it manufactured?"

Oberon looked up.

"W-What?" he asked.

"I said where was Bertram's plane manufactured?" I asked, "tell me."

Oberon slowly stood up and gritted his teeth.

"Go to hell," he said.

Oberon charged at me again, but I swat his sword away with my Karabela and drove my Dirk up into his arm. Oberon cried out and dropped his weapon, allowing me to grab the fucker and pin him up against one of the trucks.

"Okay pal, let's try this again," I said firmly, "where did Bertram get his plane built?"

"And I told you to go to hell," said Oberon.

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine then," I said as I dropped my sword.

Before he knew it, my fist flew right at his face, striking him one… two… three times, and one more punch to his stomach.

"You gonna talk now?" I asked.

"F-F-Fuck you," he spat, "goddamn… half-breed."

Funny guy…

 _BAM!_

 _BAM!_

 _BAM!_

 _BAM!_

I punched him two more times in the face, punched him in the gut and drove my knee into his ribs. Oberon grunted and yelped in pain from the bows I delivered, after delivering one last punch, he started bleeding from his nose.

"I can go all day bitch," I said, "your buddies turned tail so it's just you and me."

Oberon coughed and let out a pained laugh.

"You think beating the hell out of me… will get me to tell you what you need to know?" he asked, "you stupid girl. You might as well kill me already."

I frowned and pulled my Dirk out of his arm and stabbed him right in the knee… and let me tell you, never in my entire life have I heard a grown man scream as loud as him.

"You were saying Hahn-ass (cock-ass)?" I asked.

Oberon grimaced and ground his teeth together, tears started to fill his eyes as I dug the blade into his flesh.

"So this is how this is going to work, you're going to tell me where Bertram built his prized warbird, or I'm going to drive my Dirk through your fucking knee," I hissed, "got it?"

Oberon ground his teeth together. For a second, it looked like if he ground his teeth even more they would crack like glass.

"A-Alright, look… I-I know where he had his plane built alright?" he asked, "b-but I can't tell you, it's top secret information. If Bertram finds out that I told you what you needed to hear, he'll kill me."

I cocked my head to the left and gave him my, "Are you serious?" face.

"Kill you? Pfft buddy, if you don't tell me _I'll_ kill you," I said, "and you don't want me to kill you."

Oberon swallowed.

"Th-The Poseidon," he said.

I raised an eyebrow.

"The Hearth? Is that the name of a ship? A base?" I asked.

"A ship… A-A carrier to be exact, it was modified into an aircraft factory… designed to make warbirds specified for Templar pilots who've earned the title of ace," said Oberon, "or… just so I've heard."

I frowned.

"That's impossible," I said.

"It's true! It's true!" he exclaimed, "it's the Templar's most prized vessel, it often makes frequent stops at Germany, Africa, even Italy at times."

"Why would you guys risk making such a valuable vessel like that with the possibility of it going down from torpedo fire?" I asked.

"I don't know…" said Oberon, "from what I understand it just seems a lot better making an aircraft factory that's able to move by sea instead of having one that's out in the open, and would fall victim to a bombing run."

Well… he wasn't wrong.

"The ship is heavily guarded too, it's protected by three battleship escorts and destroyers to take out any potential subs that might move in for a sneak attack," said Oberon, "the Templars know how valuable the carrier is and they know if it's taken out, it would damage us."

"Do you know when the ship will be docked?" I asked.

"The ship just got finished dropping off a fresh load of planes to Italy from what I hear," said Oberon, "it's on its way back to Germany for resupply."

Resupply. Now I understand, that's why that ship is so valuable, they didn't modify it to function like an aircraft factory just because, they did it because of how long it takes for a fresh batch of fighters to be made in a standard factory; The Hearth basically makes them on the fly while in route to its desired destination, that way when it arrives the planes are built and ready to be delivered to the airfield it's assigned to go to.

 _"And it makes trips to Germany so it can get the materials needed in order to make these aircraft,"_ I thought.

I looked at Oberon, who seemed to be waiting for me to say something to him. Instead of saying something though, I just pulled my Dirk out and sheathed it. Oberon let out a pained gasp as he felt me remove my weapon.

"Thank you for telling me everything," I said.

"Y-Yeah sure…" he said flatly, "I know your happy about me spilling the beans, to and everything… me, I know Bertram's going to have my ass for singing to you like a canary."

I smiled at Oberon.

"No he isn't," I said.

Oberon gave me a surprised look and started to smile.

"R-Really?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"No," I said as I ejected my wrist blade.

Oberon stiffened.

"W-What are you-"

But I cut him off by cutting his armband. Oberon looked at me, like I had done something crazy… which in retrospect… I kind of sort of did…

"W-What?" he asked, "what are… Why did you do that?"

I retracted my wrist blade.

"Look, as much as I want to kill you… I can't," I said, "and I'm not just saying this because I need you to take me to the carrier… but because you seem different from the other Templars I fought."

I looked into Oberon's eyes and for a second… they seemed… innocent. Innocent and pure, like he was fighting for someone, not something.

"Do you have family?" I asked.

Oberon nodded. I took his arm and slung it over my shoulder so I could support him.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked.

"Look, you can't go back to the Templars, they'll kill you since you failed this mission," I said, "so you're coming with me to the Assassin's headquarters."

Oberon started to panic.

"Are you crazy!?" he demanded, "they'll kill me for being in their territory and they'll kill you just for bringing me in their territory!"

I turned and smiled at Oberon.

"Trust me," I said.

"What?" asked Ronald, "what did you say?"

"Bertram went to an aircraft carrier to get his plane built," I said, "an aircraft carrier that was modified into an aircraft factory."

"That's preposterous," said Owen, "an aircraft carrier can't be modified into an airplane factory, it's unheard of… no, worse, it's never been done!"

"Trust me Owen, I was just as surprised as you are now when Oberon told me this information," I said, "and believe me when I say that the Templars constructed such a ship for the purpose of building advanced warbirds for Templars who received the mark of "Ace". And not just any ordinary warbirds, I mean warbirds designed to the pilot's liking."

"That sounds like pretty solid intel," said a voice.

I turned and saw a female assassin walk into the war room while I was being debriefed, she looked like she was in her mid-to-late 30s, with shiny copper hair and brown eyes. Aside from a few scars on her face, and a few of the tattoos that were etched on both of her arms-thanks to the vest and sleeveless shirt she was wearing I might add-she wasn't half bad to look at… well, not entirely… she also had an eyepatch over her left eye.

 _"Either she was a convict who was given a second chance to atone for her crimes, or she's an even bigger ass-kicker than me,"_ I thought.

"It would only make sense for those bloody Templars to make a ship like that, had they just built a factory like everyone else, the dammed place would be reduced to a pile of rubbish," she said.

 _"That is a very solid English accent,"_ I thought.

"Ariela, let me introduce you to Katrina Wilson, she's the brotherhood's top Assassin veterans," said Reginald, "skilled in the art of stealth and infiltration, and is a top notch markswoman when out in the field."

Katrina let out a laugh.

"Please sir, there's no need for flattery," she said.

Katrina turned and gave me a look, almost as if she was trying to study me.

"Well, you're awfully young for an Assassin, love," she said.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"Don't worry, you're not the first to join the Assassins at such a young age," said Katrina, "just look at Altair and Ezio, they were way younger than you when they joined."

I looked over at Reginald.

"Don't mind Katrina," he said, "a lot of what she says might sound like an insult, but really that's just her way of saying, hi."

I was deathly confused.

"Um… okay," I said, "um… Katrina, not that I'm not thrilled about you being here and all but… what are you even doing here? Especially while I'm being debriefed on my mission."

"If you must know, I actually came here to inform Ronald that we should expect a possible visit from Adolf's forces," said Katrina.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Owen.

"I mean my men intercepted a transmission through the German comm channels, this might be the first attack they stage against us and I don't think it'll be the last," said Katrina.

Ronald crossed his arms.

"And just when I thought we had a little time to breath," he said as he shook his head, "when can we expect another attack?"

"I don't know yet, my men have been checking the comms constantly to pick up word of when the Nazis and Templars might stage another assault," said Katrina.

"Then we need time to prepare ourselves," said Ronald, "we might've survived the first wave, but that was only by blind luck. As long as the Templars are backing the Germans they'll wear us down until Master Churchill has no choice but to surrender."

"Like bloody hell, he will!" Katrina exclaimed as she slammed her fist on the table, "I'm not going to drop to my knees and kiss the boots of some heartless monster that's responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people!"

Wow… I like this girl already.

"Ronald, you know damn well that our planes can't be able to take on Bertram, he's an ace," said Owen, "he'll destroy us."

Owen turned towards me and walked over.

"You're certain of what that Templar officer said to you?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I'm not just certain," I said, "I'm sure on his word."

"How are you so sure that we can trust the word of a Templar?" asked Owen.

Before I could respond, someone came bursting in through the door.

"Sir! There's a Templar in the hallway!" exclaimed the commando.

 _"Damn,"_ I thought as I facepalmed.

I turned around fast and saw a pair of commandos march in with Oberon, who seemed like he got finished getting manhandled by those guys.

"Caught him sitting down by the door," said the second commando, "permission to execute him?"

"No! Don't! Don't kill him!" I ordered.

The three commandos that marched into the room, all looked at me like I was crazy.

"I'm sorry, _don't_ kill the Templar?" Ronald asked in disbelief.

"No! I need him alive," I said, "if what he says is true, then he can lead us to the carrier."

"And if what he says is false he could damn well lead you into a trap and have you either captured or killed," said Ronald.

Katrina stepped forward and drew her pistol, aiming it at Oberon, who let out an alarmed gasp.

"I say we kill the wanker while we can," she said with a sinister grin.

I swatted Katrina's hand away and stepped in front of Oberon.

"No! I need him!" I screamed, "he wouldn't dare lead me astray… right?"

Oberon nodded.

"Everything that I told Ariela was true, I wouldn't lead someone astray in the slightest, especially after she spared me," he said, "look, I understand you have no reason to trust me but… please, just think of this as me paying you all back. I mean… I was originally meant to find a piece of that tracer and bring it back to the Templars."

I looked at Katrina, who looked like she was ready to put a hole in my head for the stunt I pulled, I looked over at Ronald, who seemed to be deep in thought as he saw what was going on before him.

"Ronald please, we have to give him this one chance," I said, "if he's lying… I'll kill him myself."

I turned towards Oberon, giving him a sad look. I really didn't want to kill the man… he didn't look like he belonged in the Templars, he looked like he belonged in the Assassins, he looked like he belonged with people that fight for freedom and not control.

"Alright," Ronald said with a groan, "you two will make your way to the carrier and gather the materials needed in order to upgrade Ariela's plane. In the meantime, we'll hunker down and try to stave off the enemy for as long as we can."

I gave Ronald an affirmative nod.

"Got it," I said.

"And Ariela," said Ronald, "…he's your responsibility."

I gave Ronald another nod.

I understand.

After the debriefing, Oberon and I made our way back to my hotel room in Ipswitch, where I sat down and began to address his wound.

"Um… sorry about that," I said, "I thought I would have the chance to introduce you to my brothers during the whole debriefing, I didn't count on someone dragging you in there."

"It's not so bad," said Oberon, "not the first time I've been manhandled like that-argh!"

I felt my hands freeze up.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," he said, "I took the stab, I can take the stitch."

I smiled and went back to stitching up his wound.

"Can I ask you something, white hood?" he asked.

I stopped and looked up at Oberon.

"Ariela. My name is Ariela Liora," I said as went back to work.

"Ariela… that's a pretty name," he said.

I blushed.

"Can I ask you something Ariela?" he asked.

"Hmm? What?" I asked.

"Why didn't you kill me back there?" he asked, "you could've killed me and walked away after I told you everything that you needed to hear… but you didn't. Why?"

I didn't say anything, I kept stitching him up until his wound was fully patched up; then I cut the thread with my knife.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine," he said.

I let out a sigh as I began wrapping his stitched up wound.

"I wasn't always like this you know," I said, "I wasn't joking when I said I wanted to kill you. Back then, I would've stabbed you without hesitation after you told me what I needed to hear… but… I've steered away from that path."

"Why?" asked Oberon.

I let out another sigh.

"Because my… hatred… and rage towards the Nazis and the Templars… it caused me to become reckless," I said, "and it was that same recklessness… that got a friend of mine killed."

As the haunting memory of Armand started slipping back into my mind, I tightened down on Oberon's knee, causing him to let out a yelp.

"Oh my god, Oberon I'm sorry," I said.

"N-No, no, it's alright you have every reason to be mad at us… for everything we did," he said, "believe me Ariela, ever since I signed up with the Templars… there's not a day that passes by where I just look up and think… "Why, oh why did we have to take it this far? Why goes this far just to get a dammed relic"?"

Oberon looked at me and pat my head, causing me to blush.

"I did have a family too… I had a wife and two kids… twin boys," he said.

I looked up.

"Before joining the Templars, I used to be a simple carpenter," he said, "sometimes on my days off I would take my boys out and we'd go hunting, just the three of us. Guess that must've been enough to get the attention of the Templars."

Oberon let out a sigh.

"When I joined them, I was required to take a sacred oath, binding me to the order," he said, "after saying the oath, I thought to myself, "This won't be so bad, I probably won't have to commit any acts of genocide like those Narren (fools) who blindly follow Hitler"."

I sensed a "however" coming on.

"However… sometime after the war had started… I couldn't believe how wrong I was," he said.

Called it.

"The Templars… they're not like the Nazis, they don't round up those who aren't deemed fit in Hitler's "Perfect World" and stick them in ghettos… work camps… execution camps," said Oberon, "no, those who aren't deemed fit are taken to Templar camps."

 _"Oh that's not so-"_

"From there, the Templars brainwash them, they fill their heads with lies," said Oberon, "they say that it's the Nazis who are unfit in our world, that Hitler is the reason why this whole war started. They made him out to be the bad guy so that they appear innocent in the eyes of these good people."

"I don't understand; why would the Templars play nice for Hitler when in reality they're telling people that he's a tyrant behind his back?" I asked, "after all, it was the Templars that goaded the man into starting this goddamn war."

Oberon chuckled.

"I thought it was obvious," he said, "the Templars don't fight for the Reich, we only seek the same thing as you Assassins."

"What the Templars seek is control," I said, "control over the people, if not the whole world."

"No, we merely seek to maintain order and peace," said Oberon.

I raised an eyebrow as I got finished wrapping up his knee.

"You seek to maintain order and peace, yet in order for that to happen, you goaded a man into creating absolute chaos here in Europe," I said as I sat down in the chair at my desk, "that seems a little odd don't you think?"

Oberon looked at me.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"The Templars seek to maintain order and peace in this world, right? Yet in order for that to happen they start things off by having all of Europe fall into conflict and turmoil, day after day hundreds of thousands of military casualties continue to pile up as each faction struggle to obtain victory while we're merely caught in the crossfire," I said, "so let me ask you something, if the Templars aren't fighting for the Reich, then what's their plan for when Hitler wins? Will they rule alongside him? Will they be his… lapdogs, helping to maintain order across the world while their new buddy Adolf rules with an iron fist?"

"N-No! That's not it at all!" exclaimed Oberon.

"Then what is it then?" I asked, "do they plan to steal the power right out from under Adolf's feet? Will the Templar Grandmaster topple the tyrant and assume his mantle?"

Oberon just looked down, his nails were digging into the side of the bed.

"I… I don't know," he said.

I stood up and started to get undressed, Oberon turned away.

"Do the Templars even have a motto that you go by?" I asked as I hung up my hood, "I'm curious."

"Yes…" said Oberon.

"What is it?" I asked.

Oberon paused before speaking.

"Uphold the principles of our order… and all that for which it stands. Never share our secrets… nor divulge the true nature of our work… Do so now until death… whatever the cost," he said.

I changed into a pair of simple shorts and a plain white t-shirt.

"Why did you want to know about our motto?" he asked as he turned around.

"I was curious, curious as to why someone like you would join them when you don't even know much about the principles that they stand for," I said, "you know, you seem like a nice guy Oberon, you really do; but you make it seem like… no, you make it sound like you're helping a worthy cause, that you didn't have a choice."

Oberon didn't say anything.

"Did you have a choice?" I asked, "or did they make it seem like you had no choice?"

Oberon didn't say anything for another minute before he spoke.

"They said that by joining them I would help to bring an end to Adolf's reign when the time comes," he said, "they said that by not joining my family and I would be living in a world where his word was law, that we would have no choice but to abide by his demands no matter what… I didn't want that to happen to my family."

I gave Oberon a somber look.

"But what about you, huh?" he asked firmly, "did _you_ not have a choice like me?"

"Actually I did," I said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I did have a choice. I could've chosen to not get involved, I could've chosen to stayed out of the fight, I could've chosen to stay with everyone else in the Assassin headquarters and wait this war out. But I didn't want that. I didn't want to be afraid, those bastards took away everything I loved and I wanted them to pay for it."

"So you're saying you made this choice on your own. You chose to join the Assassins," he said.

"No… I chose to join the Assassins so that justice could be delivered to the people who wronged," I said, "that's the difference between the Assassins and the Templars, we give people a choice. You guys don't, it's either that person joins or they suffer the consequences."

"Oh, like you've never been in a situation like I was?" asked Oberon, "you've never been put into a situation where you didn't have a choice? Where you didn't have a say in the matter?"

I looked down and clenched my chest tightly.

"…Once," I said, "where Abelard took my sister Miriam."

The haunting memory of Miriam being taken from me started to slowly creep into my mind.

"I couldn't do anything," I said, "I just had to keep running, I had to keep going… there was no telling what would've happened if the Templars had caught me."

I looked up at Oberon as a stray tear started to roll down my cheek.

"I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked," he said.

"Vergiss es (Forget about it)," I said as I stood up and walked over to the bed, "to be quite honest I… I…"

I shook my head as I climbed under the covers.

"What?" asked Oberon.

"Nothing," I said, "aren't you… going to get changed?"

"Uh… yeah," he said as he got up and went into the bathroom.

About a minute passed and Oberon walked out, dressed in only his pants, I felt my cheeks heat up as I looked at my new friend… damn he was built. He wasn't like heavy set or anything, but he did pack some muscle to his body.

"What?" he asked as he climbed in the other bed.

"N-Nothing," I said as I turned away, "nothing."

Oberon chuckled. As I reached over to turn off my lamp, I heard Oberon call my name.

"Hmm?" I asked as I turned around.

"Um… thanks," he said.

"What for?" I asked.

"For showing me the truth," he said.

That was enough to make me giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, "Gute Nacht (goodnight)."

Oberon let out a sigh as I turned off my lamp.

"Gute Nacht (goodnight)," he said as he turned off his lamp.


	25. Chapter 24: Late night raid

Chapter 24

Late night raid

July 15th, five days have passed since The Battle of Britain began… since that time, things here have gotten pretty bad. Each day it's a struggle for the RAF and the Assassins. Every battle we enter, both sides deal heavy losses, but in the end it's always us that walks away almost half dead. Every time I see my brothers and sisters go to war, the anticipation of wanting to join in the fight is enough to make my hands start shaking from the adrenaline… however, the adrenaline is quick to die whenever I catch a glimpse of Bertram, racking up kill after kill, with no one able to oppose him.

Even the Assassin's most highly trained aces, with scores of kills to their names… didn't have a chance to take him down… all with the exception of a few, who managed to use their teamwork in order to deal a little bit of damage to that Templar diabła (Templar devil) and managing to force him to fall back.

I knew right then and there that Bertram, even with his skills at flying, was no match when it came to fighting against overwhelming odds… the problem is, that's possibly the _only_ thing that can beat him. And if everyone's too busy trying to take down _one_ pilot, the rest of the attack force could deal major damage to Britain. And that was something that the Assassins couldn't afford to do, and the same went for the RAF.

July 25th, the Nazis have stepped up their bombing, no doubt trying to weaken the RAF so they can't fight back and also so we can't build more fighters to replace the ones we've lost. The Nazis have also been attacking civilians in order to add a little bit more pressure to us. I should point out that it has been primarily the Templars though, who's been taking care of these "Terror Bombings" as they have no regrets about killing off innocents unlike the Assassins.

…Guess it goes to show you how far mad men will go in order to achieve their goal of total world domination huh? Templar, dictator, it doesn't matter… men like them are yet another reason why I became an Assassin, why I chose to get involved in this hellish war. Mad men like Adolf and Elldrich need to be removed from this world… it's the only way for humanity to regain peace and freedom.

…I'm sorry, I was rambling again, I don't mean to ramble. Let me just… let me just get right back on track.

July 27th, Oberon informed me that _The Hearth_ was making port to Germany tonight. Good thing too, the past few weeks have been rather dull, with the exception of hunting down and eliminating possible Templar ground teams that have been sent by Bertram. Actually, hunting down those ground teams was pretty exciting to say the least, especially seeing the reaction on those bastards faces when they saw Oberon fighting by my side.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I got ready to go.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Are you alright? Fighting against your own kind… I… I can't imagine…" I started to say as I put on my boots.

Oberon chuckled.

"Not at all… to be quite honest, there have been a couple of times where I just wanted to punch my own comrades in the face for all of the heinous acts they've committed," he said as he threw on his coat.

"Really?" I asked.

Oberon nodded.

After the two of us got ready, Oberon and I went over the plan again.

"Alright, now from what I understand, _The Hearth_ is scheduled to make port in Cuxhaven, where it'll receive the next batch of supplies in order to build more aircraft while on its next maiden voyage," said Oberon.

"And does it plan on heading to another place to drop off its completed products?" I asked.

"Unlikely, _The Hearth_ consumes quite a bit of fuel when going from one place to another, and whenever it makes port in Germany it takes quite a bit for the refueling," said Oberon.

He wasn't wrong, I mean, who knows how big that thing is… I still can't get over how they managed to convert a carrier into an aircraft factory.

"So what's the plan?" I asked.

"I suggest that we go in quietly if at all possible, with _The Hearth_ at the docks there's going to be some pretty tight security," said Oberon.

"Got it," I said as I slid my Colts into their respective holsters, "…is that ship really valuable?"

"Yeah why?" asked Oberon.

As I slung my Springfield over my shoulder, I turned and gave Oberon a grin. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, then he gasped.

"Oh-no…" he said.

I nodded as he understood where I was going: I planned to blow up the ship. I didn't want to bring a few packs of C4 though, no, I planned on using a grenade to blow it up.

"Ariela, you're insane, there's no way you could destroy that ship, you'd need at least a hundred packs of C4 to sink it!" exclaimed Oberon.

"I don't plan on using C4," I said, "they converted the carrier into a factory. It was a smart move, however, I'm sure that carrier has a lot more flaws than it did before. Am I right?"

"Um…" said Oberon.

"All I have to do is find one or two flaws in the ships design, once that's done, I'll use a grenade. If I'm right, the chain reaction should be more than enough to sink that oversized whale," I said.

Oberon paused… then he spoke.

"You're determined to do this no matter what I say aren't you?" he asked.

I smiled and giggled.

"Oberon, ever since I participated in this conflict, you can say that this war has turned me into a bit of a… no nonsense kind of girl," I said with a wink.

Oberon blushed. I pulled up my hood.

"Come on, wilden Mann, lassen Sie uns einige Mühe gehen verursachen (wild man, let's go cause some trouble)," I said as I gave him a slap on his ass.

Oberon let out a surprised yelp and turned as I headed towards the door before following me out. The two of us made our way to a car, where we got in and made our way to the docks, it was quiet in Ipswich… eerily quiet, like something bad was waiting to happen and we didn't know it. It's not a surprise though, what with the bombings, people have been really uneasy, especially during the evening rather than during the day since that's when everyone has their guard down.

Sneaky bastards, I won't call them cowards for using a smart tactic, but still attacking at night…

"We're here," I said.

I parked the car at the docks, Oberon and I got out and made our way to the boat, where someone was said to be waiting for us. Who it was though…

"KATRINA!?" I exclaimed.

"Evening love," she said with a wink.

"Oh great… her again," groaned Oberon.

"Oh relax, I'm not here to cause a ruckus," she said, "I'm just here to take you guys to your destination."

"Then let's get going, the quicker we get this done, the quicker we can bring the materials back to Ariela's plane and upgrade it before the next fight," said Oberon.

"Vereinbart (Agreed), let's get going," I said.

"Then we're off," said Katrina.

Katrina fired up the boat and sped off, while Oberon and I waited below deck until we arrived.

"Nice blade," said Oberon.

I looked over at him as I leaned next to the window.

"Hmm?" I asked.

Oberon pointed at my wrist.

"I've only seen Assassins wear something that and not Templars," he said, "quite a unique killing tool."

I looked down at my hidden blade.

"Assassins use it to make silent kills," I said, "with enough skill and practice, sometimes an Assassin can use a hidden blade in combat."

Oberon smiled.

"Me? I like to use my trusty sabre and dagger," I said, "one weapon for offense and one for defense when my enemies get in close."

"Impressive," he said.

"How about you? Do you have any particular skill with dual-wielding?" I asked.

Oberon shook his head.

"Templar commandos are only trained in basic forms of combat, we're not like official Knights who are trained to tangle with the likes of Assassins," he said.

I smiled and walked over to him.

"Well… maybe if you keep behaving yourself… perhaps I might be able to convince the grandmaster in Britain to train you in our ways," I said as I got close to him, "maybe… see teach you how to defend yourself a lot easier from me."

Oberon blushed as he looked at me.

"Ariela… I have a wife and kids," he said.

I giggled.

"Oh come on Oberon, you can't tell me you've never done a little bit of harmless flirting with a girl in uniform?" I asked.

Oberon turned redder.

"Well… I uh…" he started to say.

"Besides… I don't normally say this but… for a German… your kind of ein T (a cutie)," I said.

To my surprise, I found myself blushing as I said that. I felt Oberon slip his hand in my hood and pull it off, letting all of my hair fall loose. I looked up at him, staring into his light blue eyes. I wasn't lying either, he might've been young; but he really was cute, and that says something because a lot of the guys I've encountered during this war have either been in their late twenties or early thirties, sometime forties or fifties. Oberon looked like he was in his early to mid-twenties.

"Ariela…" he started to say.

"Oberon…" I whispered.

I felt the tension between us get thicker, I felt my hands wrap around his neck as I pulled myself up and prepared to plant a kiss…

"Hey guys, just wanted to come down and-BLOOD OF THE QUEEN!" exclaimed Katrina.

Oberon and I whirled around towards the entrance leading to the upper deck, seeing Katrina down here with us. Now um… Jake, Gabriel, guys… I'm sure if you were here right now and you saw me in this position, I'm sure you'd be thinking that Oberon and I were about to get it on right about now.

"Uh…" said Oberon.

"Katrina… I can expla-"

"I don't want to know," she said as she walked back upstairs.

Oberon and I watched her leave, we looked at each other, I pulled away and scratched the back of my head.

"Um… wow… hehe…" I said with embarrassment.

"This is… This is awkward," said Oberon.

Oberon and I stood where we were in silence, not sure where to take this now.

"Um… I think it's safe to um… Go above deck?" I asked.

"S-Sure," said Oberon.

More time passed as Katrina took us from Britain over to Germany, during that time, I took the opportunity to take a nap before we arrived, seeing's how I got finished double-checking everything… now… I'm sure you're wondering why I say all of this…

"Well bake me in an oven and call me a crumpet," said a voice.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Katrina standing in the doorway to the bedroom.

"Nng… Huh? What?" I asked, "are we there yet Katrina?"

Katrina didn't say anything, she just smiled and put a hand to her mouth as she let out a giggle. I raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering what she found so humorous. When I tried to sit up, I felt something… hard. I slowly looked down and my cheeks flushed red fast. Oberon… was in my bed.

"Nng…" he moaned.

"Oberon!" I snapped.

I slammed my fist on his stomach, causing his eyes to bolt open and let out a pained grunt.

"Was zum Teufel machst du in meinem Bett (What the hell are you doing in my bed)!?" I snapped.

"Warum hast du mich in den Bauch Punch (Why'd you punch me in the stomach)!?" he demanded.

"Versuchen Sie nicht, das Thema zu wechseln! Warum waren in meinem Bett Perv du (Don't try to change the subject! Why were in my bed you perv)!?" I demanded.

"Oh es tut mir leid (Oh I'm sorry)!" exclaimed Oberon, "Ich habe gerade gesehen, dass Sie ein bisschen wie ein schlechter Traum hatten, so dachte ich, ich mit Ihnen Koje würde (I just saw that you were having a bit of a bad dream so I thought I'd bunk with you)!"

"Um… hey, Mr. and Mrs. Liora, would you mind keeping it down?" asked Katerina, "we're kind of here at the docks."

Oberon and I stopped our bickering and turned red in the cheeks. Did she really just call us "Mr. and Mrs. Liora"? R-Really? Really Katerina? Why'd you have to take it there? Why? Why, just why?

"W-We'll continue this later," I said.

"F-Fine," said Oberon.

Oberon climbed out of my bed and followed Katerina out, while I climbed out of bed and went over to my robes, which were laying on the bed above me. I pulled them off and slipped it on, along with the rest of my equipment.

 _"Jayzus, that was something I never expected to wake up to,"_ I thought as I left the bedroom, _"I really hope that he only just bunked with me…"_

Just then, something made me stop and look down.

 _"Then again… I… I wouldn't mind if he actually did more than just bunk with me,"_ I thought as I blushed and giggled.

Just then, I stopped and shook my head furiously.

 _"No! No! No! Ariela, you know better than that!"_ I thought, _"you know there's no room for… play time."_

I pulled my hood over my head and let out a sigh.

 _"Later… Maybe later,"_ I thought as I made my way above deck.

The first thing that hit me when I headed upstairs, was the cool night air and the salty scent of the sea. A slight breeze came through, causing a few strands of my hair to blow right in my face, which I pushed out of the way. Oberon was at the entrance of the boat, obviously waiting on me to come on up after I got finished getting ready.

"You ready?" he asked as he pulled up his coat collar.

I nodded.

"Lasst es uns treffen (Let's hit it)," I said.

And with that, Oberon and I stepped onto the docks, making our way inside of enemy lines. Seeing's how I didn't know what to expect on this mission, I chose to let Oberon play the role of the leader, a position he was quick to accept… huh… guess he expected me to dot that I guess. Anyway, the two of us quickly hid by a few large stack of wooden crates, which I could only assume was supplies for The Hearth or perhaps its plethora of escorts. And speaking of which…

"Hey… where's the carrier?" I asked.

Oberon prepared to answer when I turned to the sound of Katerina firing up the boat and taking off. I let out a gasp in shock.

 _"That scummy red-haired-"_

But my thoughts were soon interrupted as I picked up something out in the distance. I couldn't make it out, so I activated my Eagle Vision so I could see better, there… out in the open water, giving off a shiny golden glow… was a big-ass carrier surrounded by three battleships and three destroyers.

"It's _The Hearth_ ," said Oberon.

"Heilige, was die Scheiße, riesig, dass Ding (Holy what the shit, that thing's huge)!" I exclaimed.

"I told you so," Oberon said with a smile.

"Oh-no, don't you start getting a-"

I stopped short, turning around and seeing a whole lot of red coming our way.

"Someone's coming," I said.

Oberon turned and saw the lights.

"Crap! We've got to hide!" he exclaimed.

"Where are we going to go?" I asked.

Oberon looked around fast and saw something that caught his eye.

"Over there!" he exclaimed as he took off.

I followed him over to a nearby harbor shop that was closed up for the night, I didn't want to bust in and make it look like there was an intruder; but I couldn't exactly jump inside through the window. So instead I laid a few knocks on the door knob to break it and motioned for Oberon to follow me inside, where we laid low. I wasn't sure for how long we were hiding out, because I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard heavy footsteps walk past our position.

I put two fingers to my lips, telling Oberon to be quiet.

"Don't you think I know that?" he mouthed to me.

I puffed my cheeks up in annoyance for his snide comment, but I looked up and peeked outside when I started to hear people talking.

"Abend Herren (Evening gentlemen)."

"Lt. Colonel. Good evening."

I turned and saw Oberon had a mean look on his face. I guess he knew this man

"I trust the shipment was delivered."

"Yes sir, the fresh batch of planes were completed and delivered on schedule."

"We were paid handsomely as well."

"Excellent. I'll be sure to deliver this to the Grandmaster when I get the chance."

"Of course sir."

"And what news from our ground team in Great Britain? Have they managed to grab the piece of the tracer?"

"N-No sir… We can only assume that they've been eliminated."

There was silence… then-

"AGAIN!? That's the fifth time this month!"

"S-Sir please understand, the Assassins must have some people on the ground, interceptors possibly-"

There was a loud smack from outside. Someone must've gotten slapped.

"You idiot, the Assassins wouldn't risk sending in commandos to intercept a ground team, not without running the risk of them getting gunned down by Bertram's forces. They must've sent one of their own. A full-fledged Assassin."

"But sir, who could it possibly be? With the Assassins providing support for the RAF-"

"I don't think it's one of their own… I think they got support from another den."

I swallowed.

 _"Fuck me,"_ I thought.

"Sir, I'm sure this is just a mild annoyance, all we need to do is send in multiple strike teams and have them break off-"

A noise was heard. Somebody must've gotten slapped.

"If sending in multiple teams and have them go to Cambridge in convoy formation, what makes you think breaking them off into separate will help!?"

"W-Well sir, I-I just thought-"

"The Assassins will gun them down you idiot! They'll gun them down!"

I heard the Templar let out a muttered groan.

"You pathetic excuse of a uniform, I want this situation dealt with _soon_ do you understand? I refuse to be blamed by Bertram for your incompetence!"

"Y-Yes sir."

"Good! Now, you all, help me bring this cargo onto the carrier."

I heard the footsteps approach my position and slowly fade as the Lt. Colonel walked right past Oberon and I. I turned over at my friend, who was also looking at me.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

"Well, we've got a high ranking Templar here, which means he's probably also got probably brought some of his soldiers here for added protection while they load the cargo," Oberon said as he stood up and looked outside.

"So we still sneak in?" I asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Ohyda (Shocker)," I said, "how do we do this?"

"Got a couple of knives on you?" he asked.

Oberon turned as he saw a smile stretch across my face.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said.

"How many?" I asked.

"About two or three at the entrance," he said.

Oberon turned and motioned for me to move back inside as he saw the Templar Lt. Colonel and some of the other commandos make their way to the carrier. Oberon motioned for me to hold my position.

"Wait for it…" he said, "wait for it…"

I got my knives out.

"Now," he said.

I jumped out and threw the first knife, striking the first commando in the throat. His friends jumped back in shock, seeing a knife just appear right in front of his neck.

"W-What the fu-"

The second commando was struck in the back of the head, causing him to fall forward. As for the last commando, I spun and threw the last knife at his chest, surprisingly the impact was enough to send him flying back a few inches before dropping to the ground with a solid thud.

"Gotcha," I said with a smirk.

When I looked at Oberon, he gave me a look and crossed his arms.

"Must you be so extravagant with that last throw?" he asked.

I giggled.

"Don't be jealous," I said.

Oberon rolled his eyes and took off for the carrier, I followed him. Before we headed aboard, we took the liberty of disposing of the commandos I killed by tossing them in the water.

"Don't want Gaufrid to get suspicious," he said.

I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth when Oberon motioned for me to hide. The Templar was coming!

"W-Wait! Where are we going to hide?" I asked.

Oberon didn't say anything, instead he just jumped over the edge of the dock we were on and grabbed onto the ledge. I followed suite without even hesitating, and just in time as that Templar and his men came out. Up above me, I heard voices again.

"What the hell? Where are they?"

"Looks like they went off somewhere."

"I know that idiot."

I closed my mouth as a giggle started to come up.

"Ugh, forget it, you stay here. And keep watch."

"Yes sir."

I heard the footsteps move away from as the Lt. Colonel and the rest of the Templars made their way back to their vehicles to gather more supplies. I looked up and saw the man standing guard, I slowly got back up onto the dock and rose to my feet, my right hidden blade ejecting with a flick of my wrist.

"Stupid, hot-headed fu-"

With lightning fast reaction time, I sprang forward, covered his mouth with my left hand and drove my blade into his back.

"MPHHH! MPPHHH! MMMM-MMMM!" he yelled.

"Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh… shh… shh… shh," I whispered as I pulled out my blade.

The man died in my arms as I set him down before rolling him into the water with a subtle splash. Oberon soon climbed up and dusted himself off.

"A quiet kill," he said, "can I get one of those?"

I put my hand on his shoulder.

"No," I said, "Assassin's only."

Oberon grumbled and went up into the carrier. When I stepped onto this metal beast… I stopped dead.

"Heilige verdammte Bälle (Holy fucking balls)," I said.

"Told you they turned it into a factory," said Oberon.

"How did they manage to pull this shit off?" I asked.

"It wasn't easy actually, it took quite a while to get the schematics right so all of this weight wouldn't cause the carrier to sink to the bottom of the sea," said Oberon.

 _"I can tell,"_ I thought.

I looked around the factory and saw the stack of crates for the factory, each of the crates were different shapes and sizes, others had warning labels and special markings, indicating what the contents were inside of each of those wooden boxes. Not wanting to stand around any longer than the next guy, Oberon and I made our way over to the crates so we could see what was inside.

"Hmm… let's see… I recognize this reinforced material… these components," he said as he opened some of the crates.

I went over to open one of the crates that had the warning labels. What I saw made me jump back in fear.

"Scheisse (Shit)!" I exclaimed.

"What is it?" asked Oberon.

I reached into the crate and pulled something out: A belt of bullets, commonly used by light and heavy machine guns. I took a close examination at one of the bullets, as I saw that there was something off about them. I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first, until I felt something in my mind go off.

 _"Dear god… They didn't,"_ I thought.

I turned towards Oberon and called him over.

"Do you know what these are?" I asked.

"If I had to guess I'd say these are standard .51 in MG 131 rounds," Oberon said as he approached me.

I tossed the belt to him, which he caught and almost had to keep it from slipping out of his hands.

"The hell? This belt seems a lot heavier than a standard bullet belt," he said.

"It is," I said, "those rounds aren't standard MG 131 rounds, those are customized rounds… .25 in, compacted just enough to punch through-"

"Opposing aircraft," interrupted a voice.


	26. Chapter 25: Choice and force

Chapter 25

Choice and Force

Oberon and I whirled around in the direction of the person that spoke to us just now. I gasped when I saw who it was…

"Gaufrid," said Oberon.

"Oberon Drescher," said Gaufrid, "you're alive…"

"Oberon… do you know this man personally or something?" I asked.

"Lt. Colonel Gaufrid Eichel, he's one of the most sadistic members in the Templar Military," said Oberon, "he's also… my superior."

"Oh," I said, "… _oh_."

"So, just when I thought that an assassin had killed you when I sent you on that mission," said Gaufrid, "and now here you are… alive and well."

Gaufrid drew his sidearm and aimed it at Oberon, causing me to reach for mine and pull it, unfortunately, I failed to take into account the small squad of elite commandos he brought, whom all brought their MP-40s up and aimed them at me.

"Now… Give me a reason not to suspect that you're here aiding this assassin," he hissed.

Oberon didn't say anything, he just balled his hands into fists as he stood stoically right beside me. Gaufrid frowned and pulled back the hammer on his Mauser C96.

"I could shoot you dead with a clear conscious boy," he said in a dark tone, "don't make me ask _twice_."

"I'm not," said Oberon.

My eyes widened as I turned and looked at him, like he was crazy.

"Uh, what?" I asked.

"I came here to deliver this white hooded bitch to you," said Oberon.

I made a full turn, sliding my Colt into its respective holster.

"Um... ehehe... Oberon, buddy, whatcha doing?" I asked, "I thought we made a de-"

But I was cut off as Oberon slapped me, got me in a headlock and put his pistol to my head. I was confused, and extremely shocked at what just happened.

"W-What the hell? What are you doing!?" I demanded.

"What do you think you're doing Oberon?" asked Gaufrid.

"You're calling me a traitor for working with the Assassin right? Right!?" He demanded, "so what if I am? She's shown me the lies of the Templars; she's shown me how far you all have fallen."

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Gaufrid.

"The Templars... The Templars have completely forgotten their ways," said Oberon, "giving power to a sadistic madman just so you can knock him off of his mantle and take it for yourselves when he's reached his peak. The Templars from ancient times, would've _never_ given power to someone like Adolf Hitler and turn on him in the end!"

 _"Wow... I didn't think my words would stick to him,"_ I thought.

Gaufrid chuckled and shook his head.

"Giving power so we can take it back?" He asked, "is that what you think that assassin, that half-breed, told you?"

I frowned.

 _"Easy pal,"_ I thought.

"I don't think. I know that's what she told me, and that's what I believe!" Exclaimed Oberon.

"Believe? Tch... You're as mad as the assassins," said Gaufrid, "you clearly have no idea of our true intentions."

I watched as Gaufrid slid his Mauser into his holster. His men didn't lower their MPs.

"Let's say you're right, let's say that what the assassin says is true," said Gaufrid, "if we really were going to "take the power back" from Adolf Hitler, do you think that we'll... end up no better than him? Do you think that we'll follow in his footsteps? That we'll enforce order with an iron fist?"

 _"Yes,"_ I thought.

Oberon didn't say anything.

"No, you idiot! The Templars wouldn't dare follow the path of a corrupt and sadistic man," said Gaufrid, "we're only here to enforce order and peace in the world. We're not corrupt, tyrants like that man. We're only interested in doing what's best for the human race."

"So you start off by creating chaos on your path to gaining peace and order," said Oberon, "is that it? It sounds like a bit of a contradiction don't you think?"

Gaufrid shook his head in annoyance.

"I didn't come here to discuss a philosophical debate boy!" He exclaimed, "I do only what I'm ordered to do! And the same goes for you!"

I heard Oberon let out a sigh.

"I used to always believe that being a soldier meant doing what you're told to do," he said, "that's how we're trained... but these... these men... they're not soldiers. They're slaves! Drones! Puppets who are having their strings pulled by a mad puppet master!"

 _"I'd be smiling if I didn't have a gun to my head,"_ I thought.

"I'm no puppet, and I'm no slave... I've made my own decision... I decision I should've made a long time ago," he growled.

Gaufrid gritted his teeth and drew his Mauser, causing Oberon to push the barrel of his Mauser into the side of my head.

"Don't," he warned, "I'll blow her fucking head open."

"You wouldn't dare! We need her, the Templars need her alive!" exclaimed Gaufrid, "if she dies, this whole cause will die with her!"

I looked at Gaufrid. The Templars need me? What could they possibly need me for?

"If you want the Assassin... you're going to have to accept a few of my demands," said Oberon, "first... I want out of the order. And second, you need to leave me and my family alone."

Gaufrid gripped his Mauser tightly.

"You do that, you get the Assassin," said Oberon.

"And what if I say no?" asked Gaufrid, seeing what would happen, if he declined.

I felt Oberon push the barrel of his Mauser into the side of my head again, causing me to wince.

"Then I'll kill us both," he threatened Gaufrid.

My eyes went wide.

"OBERON ARE YOU INSANE!? YOU'D RATHER HAVE US _BOTH_ BE KILLED IF THEY GO AGAINST THE DEAL YOU OFFERED!?" I demanded.

"Shut up!" he screamed.

Okay... Clearly my words made him a little... nuts. Great, and just when I thought I made an impression.

"You're a madman Oberon, you'd rather kill yourself and the assassin if I decline the offer?" asked Gaufrid.

"No... I'd rather die a free man... than be a slave..." Said Oberon "much like you did with her people."

I winced again as I felt the cold, metal barrel get pushed against my head again. I needed to find a way to get out of this situation or I'm dead! But how? I was caught between a Templar Commando Officer and his goons, and now I have a double agent with his gun against my skull.

"You're bluffing," said Gaufrid.

"I'll do it, I swear to god," hissed Oberon, "I'll kill her _and_ I'll kill myself."

There was no other choice. I activated my Eagle Vision, looking around and seeing if I could kind a possible... chink in this problem or... whatever you want to call it. That was when I noticed something as I looked at Oberon: His hand... was losing its grip on the gun!

 _"If I can time it just ri-"_

"Fine," said Gaufrid.

"Wait, what!?" I exclaimed.

"You have a deal," said Gaufrid, "we'll exchange the girl for your freedom."

I rolled my eyes.

 _"Unbelievable!"_ I thought.

"Wait!" exclaimed Oberon, "how do I know you won't go back on your word?"

Gaufrid raised an eyebrow.

"Oh... You don't believe me?" He asked.

"I never did... not since I joined the order," said Oberon.

A sly smile etched across Gaufrid's face.

"So you believe that I'll betray you as soon as I get the girl?" He asked.

Oberon frowned.

"Smart boy," said Gaufrid.

Gaufrid turned and prepared to deliver orders to his men when I brought my head forward and bashed Oberon right into his face.

"Argh! Augh, fuck!" yelped Oberon.

I turned and kicked him to the floor, causing his Mauser to go flying into the air as well.

"Kill her! Kill that bitch!" ordered Gaufrid.

"Uh-oh," I said as I jumped behind the nearest crate of supplies.

Gaufrid's men fired, spraying me with a hail of gunfire as their MP-40s went off.

 _"Welp, out of the frying pan and into the fucking fire,"_ I thought.

"Surround her! Surround her and destroy her!" ordered Gaufrid.

"Sir, what about Oberon?" asked one of the commandos.

"The Assassin dies first," said Gaufrid, "once she's dead, then we'll deal with the traitor."

Footsteps echoed throughout the carrier as I heard the commandos approach. If memory served me, there was about six or eight Templars who came onboard with Gaufrid, and with Gaufrid himself, that makes a total of nine kills.

 _"Elite commandos. More trained than the_ _common_ _commando, often armed with a combat knife or a_ _Dirk,"_ I thought, _"also... not easy prey. Heh, or so it seems."_

"Grenade out!" someone shouted.

My eyes went wide.

"Oh shit," I said.

I saw the grenade land right beside me. Without even hesitating, I grabbed it and tossed it back over the crates. The commandos screamed and multiple dull thuds soon followed, which meant that they must've scattered. The grenade went off, causing Gaufrid to start blowing a casket.

"You stupid, fucking Assassin! If you set off one explosive in the wrong place on this ship, you'll kill us all!" he exclaimed.

 _"_ _Me!? Your commandos were the ones that-"_

My thoughts were interrupted as I raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

 _"Wait… wrong place, eh?"_ I thought.

I looked around, getting a feel for the inside of the carrier and where everything was.

"Looks like I have a new mission," I said.

Suddenly, I dropped to the floor as numerous bullets flew right above my cover spot. I looked around fast and saw a commando come around the corner, aiming his weapon at me as well.

"Don't move Assassin, or I'll kill you," he ordered, "now put your hands up, both of them."

I looked over at my right arm and took note on how I managed to slip my hand into my coat before that commando had his weapon locked on me.

"Hey! Are you deaf kid!?" he demanded, "I said, put your hands up."

I smiled.

"Okay... but only because you asked," I said.

In a flash-

 _BANG!_

I shot and killed the commando, dropping him to the floor. I rolled out from behind cover and started firing off shots at the other commandos, I managed to shoot and kill the second and third commando after delivering a few shots to their chest; but I had to duck again as their three remaining friends started firing on me.

"Give up Assassin!" barked Gaufrid, "you can't hope to do this alone!"

I looked around the corner and saw that the commandos were still coming, and they didn't look happy... no... they were eager... eager to see me dead. Just then, there was loud grunting, followed by a thud. I looked around the other corner and gasped: It was Oberon!

"She's not alone!" he exclaimed, "she's got me!"

Gaufrid kicked Oberon off of him and jumped to his feet, drawing his sword as well.

"You damn traitor," he hissed, "when I'm through with you, I'm going to pry that coat off of your corpse and hang it up as a reminder to those who would _dare_ attempt such betrayal."

Using the opportunity that Oberon gave me, I jumped out from behind cover and fired three shots at the commandos, hitting the fourth on in the head, hitting the fifth in the neck and hitting the sixth one in the shoulder. I quickly slid my Colt into its holster and took off at full speed, my right blade ejecting with a flick of my wrist. The commando had nearly got finished recovering from the shot I delivered when I drove my right hidden blade into his stomach.

"Hurk!" He groaned.

"Gotcha," I said as I pulled out my blade.

The commando dropped his MP-40 on the floor and swayed from left to right as he tried to reach for me, but he dropped to his knees and collapsed on the floor, blood soon started leaking out from under him.

 _"Six down, one to-"_

But I was cut off as I turned to the sound of blades colliding with each other, I gasped.

"Oberon!" I called out.

Oberon was caught in a vicious duel with his former superior, and from the looks of it, he seemed to be on the losing end.

"Oberon, hang on! I'm coming to help!" I exclaimed as I reached for my weapons.

"Ariela! No!" Oberon barked as I dodged a sword slash from Gaufrid, "Gaufrid, still has a few soldiers left outside!"

Gaufrid went for a side slash, prompting Oberon to parry and deliver a strong kick to his stomach before jumping at him with a counterattack.

"Oberon!" I called out.

The boys got in a sword lock.

"I'll be fine! Go! Kill them! Before they come aboard to help Gaufrid," Oberon said as he pushed Gaufrid back.

"No! I won't leave you!" I exclaimed.

Oberon spun to the left and parried another strike before throwing a punch, Gaufrid blocked and elbowed Oberon in the jaw.

"How adorable, it seems your Assassin friend has developed mutual feelings for you," Gaufrid said as he stepped to the right and punched Oberon in the face.

Oberon spat out a drop of blood on the floor. I bit my lower lip.

"Ariela, go!" he ordered, "what are you waiting for!?"

I stood where I was. I don't know what was wrong with me, I didn't want to leave Oberon by himself, not to deal with Gaufrid alone... even if what he a while ago was... completely uncalled for. Nevertheless, if I were to leave and go take care of those commandos outside, Oberon would be killed. I didn't want to let that happen... I wasn't going to leave him to take on a fight like this by himself!

"Ariel-"

"Sorry Oberon," I said as I drew my weapons, "not an option."

I charged in.

"GAUFRID!" I howled.

Gaufrid turned and jumped back as I swung on him with my Karabela, while he tried to get his bearings, Gaufrid ducked as Oberon swung at his neck, then he took a kick right to the stomach, causing the commando officer to double over in pain.

"Ariela... Why?" asked Oberon.

"That whole, "Go take care of the soldiers while I deal with the officer" act?" I asked, "please, I'm not mad at you for what you did."

"R-Really?" asked Oberon.

"Noooo," I said.

I punched Oberon in the arm.

"Ouch!" he yelped.

Oberon and I turned to see Gaufrid had recovered from the blow Oberon delivered, he wiped the blood off of his lip and growled.

"So! The infamous white hooded Assassin and the Templar traitor... working together," said Gaufrid, "at last, a fight that might be worthy of my time."

Oberon and I got in our battle stances.

"What's the plan Ari?" he asked.

"Synchronized attack," I said.

"Synchronized attack?" he asked.

"I'll go in first, then you'll follow up my attack with one of your own," I said, "keep him on the defense, don't let him have a chance to attack. When he's backed into a corner, strike him down."

Oberon smiled and nodded.

"Let's go," he said.

I charged in first, engaging Gaufrid and swinging at his side, Gaufrid blocked my fist attack and ducked when I followed up my slash with a roundhouse. I doubled over, allowing Oberon to jump over my back and nail Gaufrid in the chest with a flying kick. Gaufrid stumbled back and prepared to attack when I jumped forward, swinging my Dirk up and parrying his attack, following it up with a series of flurries, forcing Gaufrid onto his back foot. When Gaufrid and I got in a sword lock, I pushed him back and rolled out of the way as Oberon charged and drove his shoulder into the man's stomach, sending him flying onto his back.

Oberon moved in on Gaufrid.

"Oberon wait!" I exclaimed.

"Huh?" He asked as he turned.

I ran forward and pushed Oberon out of the way as Gaufrid drew his Mauser and fired, the bullet struck me in the chest and I fell over with a thud.

"Ari!" exclaimed Oberon.

Gaufrid rose to his feet and started walking over to me when he turned and aimed his gun at Oberon, who had reached for his Mauser again.

"You chose the wrong side Oberon," he said, "whatever would your wife say?"

Oberon gritted his teeth.

"I chose the wrong team the moment you spoon-fed me those lies," he said, "as far as I'm concerned, she would've told me to join the Assassins in the first place."

Gaufrid chuckled.

"I've grown tired of hearing you flap your tongue," he said, "it's time I end this."

"I agree," I said as I sat up.

Gaufrid whirled around.

"What the hell!? I killed you!" he exclaimed.

"My armor protects me from small arms fire bitch," I said.

Gaufrid aimed for my face when Oberon jumped forward and drove his blade through the man's back.

"Gack! Hurk!" hroaned Gaufrid.

I wiped my face as droplets of blood splattered on my face. Oberon pulled his weapon out and dropped it on the floor, Gaufrid dropped to his knees and coughed up more blood.

"Eheh... T-Traitor," he groaned.

"No... I'm no traitor," said Oberon, "like I told you before, I'm a free man."

"F-Free? You would've been free if you stayed with the order," said Gaufrid.

"Free? Free? There is no freedom in a world, where tyrants are knocked down so another can take his place," said Oberon, "the Templars of today have betrayed everything that our ancestors stood for so long ago. The French and Indian War, the American Revolution, those were the true Templars, the true servants to the Father of Understanding."

I watched as Oberon took off his coat and tossed it on the floor in disgust.

"You say you don't fight for the Reich" he said, "if you don't fight for the Reich, then who the hell do you fight for?"

Gaufrid reached out towards Oberon.

"We... Should've... killed you... the moment you started forgetting your place," he said.

I watched as Gaufrid laid out on the ground, giving out his last breath before dying.

"Um Macht geben, nur um es zu nehmen, wird zu mehr Chaos führen und weniger um (To give power just to take it away, will lead to more chaos and less order)," said Oberon.

Oberon looked at me, with a look on his face. A look I couldn't describe.

"I'm sorry," I said.

Oberon walked over to me and pulled my hood back.

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked.

"B-Because... I thought... I always thought..." I started to say, "Um... what I mean to say is-"

But Oberon cut me off as he kissed me right on the lips. I felt my body seize up.

"Mmmmph!?"

Oberon pulled away, I felt my cheeks heat up.

"O-Oberon," I said, "I... I thought that we were only going to just stick with... flirting."

"I never agreed," said Oberon.

He kissed me again, this time, instead of seizing up, I kissed Oberon back. I pulled away and looked at Oberon, appearing dazed and confused.

"Ariela," said Oberon.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Is... Is this the first time you've kissed a man?" He asked.

I turned even more red.

"Y-Yeah," I said nervously.

Oberon gave me a smile and ran his fingers through my hair.

"Well... If we get through this... maybe I could... show you my appreciation for giving me this chance," he said.

I felt my heart start fluttering, I felt my face get completely hot and... I started giggling.

"Ehehe... W-Well, maybe I... I mean you... I mean me... I mea-"

I stopped to clear my throat.

"Th-That sounds... n-nice," I said.

Suddenly...

"Attentäter (Assassin)!" shouted a voice.

"Verräter (Traitor)!" shouted another voice.

I face palmed as I turned and saw Gaufrid's remaining commandos storm aboard the carrier. They didn't look too happy seeing their commanding officer on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

"Aw goddammit," I said.

I pulled out a grenade, pushed Oberon out of the way, pulled the pin and threw it.

"Granate (Grenade)!" exclaimed one of the commandos.

I shielded myself as the grenade went off.

"We need to get out of here," said Oberon.

"Not without the materials," I said.

"Ariela, there's around a dozen commandos blocking the entrance," said Oberon, "how are we going to get the materials out of here?"

I pondered for a moment, then I smiled.

"I have an idea," I said.

I looked over at the commandos, who had scattered all over the floor.

"Hallo! Assholes! Hier drüben (Hey! Assholes! Over here)!" I exclaimed.

The commandos all turned their attention towards me and started to give chase as I took off into the factory.

"Stoppen Sie sie! Stoppen Sie den Mörder (Stop her! Stop the assassin)!" One of them called out.

The commandos started firing, I started making my way over to a nearby assembly line, sliding under the machine, jumping to my feet and drawing both of my Colts from their holsters. I turned around faster and started firing, killing two commandos and causing the rest to duck for cover, allowing me to escape.

 _"If this thing functions like a real airplane factory, that means it should have a lot more weaknesses,"_ I thought, _"which means all I need is one-"_

But my thoughts were cut off as a bullet whizzed passed by my head.

 _"Crap,"_ I thought.

I kept moving through the assembly area, ducking, dodging, sliding underneath heavy machinery as the commandos chased me, firing off quick bursts from their MKB 42s.

 _"Where is it?"_ I thought, _"where is it!?"_

I turned and drew my Colt's again, squeezing off my last few rounds. I ducked for cover as I loaded some fresh clips and rounded the corner to see where my targets were. I frowned and holstered my weapons.

"I'm not going to find them like this," I said to myself, "better get high."

I started climbing up to the top of the nearest machine, stopping every few seconds to listen for any movements. I made my way to the top and looked down, I didn't see anyone, when I looked across the assembly area, I couldn't get a good glimpse at Oberon.

 _"Hmm... only one way,"_ I thought.

I activated my Eagle Vision, allowing me to catch a glimpse of Oberon a lot easier. He was getting the materials out. I smiled.

 _"Good boy,"_ I said.

I looked down and saw two commandos right below me. I grinned, seeing their red auras radiating.

 _"This is going to be fun,"_ I thought.

"Als ich den Attentäter zu finden, ich werde sie voller Blei zu füllen (When I find that Assassin, I'm going to fill her full of lead)," said the first commando.

I ejected both of my hidden blades, waited for the right moment and then I dropped down on my targets, driving my blades in both of them.

"Gack!"

"Arck!"

I rose to my feet and retracted my blades.

"Nailed it," I said.

Suddenly, a bell went off in my head.

 _"Duck!"_

I dropped to the floor as another commando fired on me, I jumped to my feet, pulled out a knife and threw it at the fucker's head, killing him before he even hit the floor. Just then, another bell went off in my head, prompting me to pull out another knife, whirl around and throw it at another commando, hitting him in the chest. The commando fired off a quick burst as he dropped to the floor with a thud.

 _"Six left,"_ I thought.

I rolled behind cover as three commandos fired on me.

"Wir haben Sie jetzt Assassine (We have you now Assassin)!" One of them called out.

 _"Like hell,"_ I thought as I pulled out another grenade.

I prepared to pull the pin when I stopped and thought back to an old strategy I used during the battle of Britain, so instead of pulling the pin I tossed the grenade itself.

"Grenate (Grenade)!" Another commando called out.

I jumped out fast and fired as they were about to scatter and take cover, I struck and killed two of them and wounded the third with a shot to his shoulder. I prepared to give chase when I felt something hit my back, I turned and gasped.

 _"That's a motherfucking stick!"_ I thought.

I leaped on the assembly line and bolted as the grenade went off, sending me flying back on to the floor. I feeling of flying and hitting a hard, cold metal floor... it actually hurt for a bit, even with my armor on.

 _"Son of a bitch,"_ I thought, _"this is taking too long."_

I slowly rose to my feet and dusted myself, then I took off through the assembly area, trying to escape my enemies. As I made my way through the mass of heavy machinery, I noticed something that caught my eye.

 _"Power box!"_ I thought.

I holstered my Colts and drew my Springfield, I took aim and fired round after round until I saw the lights flicker then died. With all of the lights out, I was completely in my element this time.

"Was ist passiert (What happened)?" asked one commando.

"Wo ist der Mörder (Where's the Assassin)?" Asked another commando.

 _"Now that the lights are out, I can be able to find what I'm looking for,"_ I thought as I started moving.

Now I'm sure you're wondering, how exactly I'm in my element. Well... stealth is just my thing, that's it. When I was in training, my superiors pointed out that I had a knack for getting the drop on my enemies when they least expected it. They weren't wrong either.

I made my way through the shadows, moving silently, making sure not to make any noise as I tried look for my destination: The engine room. After stumbling around in the dark for quite a bit, I activated my Eagle Vision again and looked around, a saw a door not too far from me that was giving off a bright gold glow.

 _"There it is,"_ I thought.

I headed towards the engine room and opened the door. I turned towards the commandos, and then I made my way downstairs, with a grenade in my hand.

 _"Alright, let's see here,"_ I thought as I touched the floor.

I looked around the engine room and found the generator on the far side. I smiled.

 _"One thing I love about carriers,"_ I thought, _"carriers run on oil."_

I pulled the pin on the grenade.

 _"And oil... is highly flammable,"_ I thought.

I tossed the grenade at the generator and took off back upstairs as fast as I could, not even giving a fuck about the rest of the commandos who were looking for me.

 _"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,"_ I thought.

I touched the main floor and kept running, making my way towards the entrance, all while the commandos were firing on me. As my first foot hit the outside, the carrier jostled around. My grenade went off. I kept running, going faster and faster until I was a good enough distance from _The Hearth_. And by "good enough distance", I mean I ran all of the way to Oberon's position, I turned around so I could see the fireworks with him.

One after another, the explosions occurred throughout the entire carrier, causing it to rock from left to right until a massive explosion happened at the top of the carrier itself, from there it started to sink to the bottom of the ocean, factory and all. I let out a surprised gasp as I felt Oberon hold my hand, I turned and looked at him, he looked at me and smiled.

"Enjoying the show?" He asked.

I blushed and nodded.

"Yeah," I said.

Oberon and I turned and watched as _The Hearth_ continued sinking until I saw one last explosion go off before it was consumed by the depths of Davy Jones Locker.

"We did good," I said.

"We did," said Oberon, "thank you again... for giving me this chance."

"And thank you... for showing me that even Templars have a choice," I said.

"A choice?" asked Oberon.

I nodded.

"Yes," I said.


	27. Chapter 26: Showing appreciation

Chapter 26

Showing appreciation

With the mission completed, I fired a flare into the air, letting Katrina know to come by and take us home. Now… part of me wanted to slap the suka (bitch) in the face for ditching me and Oberon, but… _The Hearth_ was coming, so I couldn't get upset that much.

"So did you two have fun?" she asked as she pulled over.

"Well… Seeing's how we're not dead… yeah, we had fun," said Oberon.

"Yeah," I said as I picked up one of the crates and carried it aboard.

I wanted to tell Katrina the stunt that Oberon pulled, but I knew that if I did, she's draw her pistol and shoot the poor fool right between the eyes without hesitating. And that was something that I did not want to happen on my watch.

"Oberon, you're not wearing your Jerry coat," said Katrina, "why is that?"

"Because…" he started to say as he set a crate onboard the ship, "your friend was rather… convincing."

I raised an eyebrow. Not at what Oberon said just now, but what Katrina said just now, I mean… Jerry? The fuck is a Jerry? Was that slang for a German soldier?

"Convincing?" asked Katrina, "heh, what'd she say to you to make you throw down your coat and put on the proper armband?"

"Let's just say… She showed me the truth about the Reich and their Templar allies," Oberon said as he put a hand on my shoulder.

I blushed.

"O-Oberon, please, a-all I did was just uh… I just uh…" I started to say, "come on, don't make it sound like I'm some wise old fart. All I did was uh… Aw dammit."

Katrina giggled. I shot a glare at her.

"What?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"Pardon my concern Ariela, but did you get scorched by a grenade explosion or are you just feeling a little… bashful?" she teased.

"I'm not feeling bashful!" I snapped as I picked up another crate, "I just… I just… I have a fever!"

"Ich rieche Bullshit (I smell bullshit)," Oberon murmured with a chuckle.

"Ich habe gehört, dass buster (I heard that buster)!" I snapped.

Oberon and Katrina laughed, I just rolled my eyes. Okay, so it wasn't that I didn't _like_ Oberon or anything but… the guy had a wife and kids! I didn't want to sleep with a man who had a family started already that's just… obrzydliwy (disgusting)!

But still…

 _"If we get through this... maybe I could... show you my appreciation for giving me this chance"_

Those very words echoed through my mind, causing me to turn red and shake my head rapidly.

 _"NO! NO! Bad Ariela! Bad girl!"_ I thought as I slapped myself, _"you're an Assassin! A Templar Hunter! You don't have time for fun! E-Especially that kind of fun!"_

"Ari?" asked Oberon.

I let out a yelp and whirled around.

"Are you okay? You look really flustered," he said.

"I… I'm fine Oberon," I said with a nervous laugh, "I'm fine…"

Oberon laughed and pat my head. It took us quite a bit of time; but we managed to get the crates onto the boat and start making out way back to Britain, during the trip back home, I stripped down to only my vest, shirt, and pants before flopping down on my bed and letting out a long breath.

 _"Ugh… what the hell is wrong with me?"_ I thought, _"why am I feeling this way?"_

I rolled over on my left side, facing the wall.

 _"I… I know that I'm an Assassin… So I shouldn't have any room in my life to have fun right?"_ I thought, _"I mean… let's be honest here, I'm not exactly… cute. At least,_ I _don't think that I'm cute. I mean how many girls do guys know who are like me? All tough, gritty, no-nonsense and… has a bit of an attitude when getting teased?"_

I dug my nails into the pillow.

 _"Besides… The last thing I want is to get too close to a man and wake up the next day hearing that they've been killed in action,"_ I thought, _"I couldn't bear going through that."_

"Ari?" asked a voice.

I turned and saw Oberon walk into the bedroom.

"Hmm?" I asked.

Oberon cursed under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said, "I'll just uh… I'll just go."

"No, no… It's fine," I said, "um… w-what's wrong? Did you need something?"

"Um… Well… I just came to see if you were alright?" Oberon said as he came into the room.

"Of course I am," I said, "why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Well, it's just that you seemed a little flustered when we were loading all of that crap onto the boat," said Oberon.

I looked down at the floor, feeling embarrassed.

"I'm sorry… It's just… well…" I said as my voice trailed off.

Oberon put a hand on my shoulder.

"Come on, what's eatin' ya kiddo?" he asked.

"Well… It's just… I've been in the brotherhood since after the war started here in Europe and… well… I've been out in the field for so long that… it felt like fighting was the only thing I knew how to do," I said, "when you started showing me affection… I don't know it was like I was learning about a new culture or something… I don't know…"

"Wait… So… You've really never been kissed before?" asked Oberon.

I shook my head.

"You've… never even been with a guy?" asked Oberon.

"No… Well, I mean I've been with a guy; but not… _with_ a guy," I said, "like I've never been-"

"I get it," interrupted Oberon, "so you're saying that these feelings are completely new to you?"

I nodded.

"Oberon… remember what you said on _The Hearth_?" I asked, "about… showing me your appreciation for letting me give you this chance?"

Oberon nodded.

"What'd you mean by that?" I asked.

Oberon blushed.

"U-Um… W-Well… What I meant by that was I was um… I um… Um… I was…" he tried to say.

"What?" I asked.

Oberon let out a long breath.

"I was… I meant I was going to have sex with you," he said with a sheepish grin.

"…Sex?" I asked.

Oberon looked at me like I was crazy.

"You've… Never had sex before?" he asked.

I cocked my head to the right.

"Was denken Sie (What do you think)?" I asked.

Oberon blushed again.

"Oh boy, this is going to be awkward as hell," he said, "um… Ariela… How can I explain this delicately…?"

Oberon cleared his throat and looked me dead in the face.

"You see when a man has certain feelings for a woman… a powerful urge occurs in his-"

I started waving my hands in front of Oberon's face as I shook my head.

"Ugh, Jesus top, stop, stop, stop, stop," I begged, "wenn du gehst deinen Weg aus dieser Oberon bullshit dann einfach aufhören (if you're going to bullshit your way out of this Oberon then just stop)."

Oberon let out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, I don't really make a good teacher," he said.

 _"Yeah no shit,"_ I thought.

Oberon pat me on the head.

"But I do appreciate you giving me this chance though kiddo," he said, "a regular Assassin would've just killed me after I told them what he/she needed to know. But… You're not like the rest."

I smiled.

"Thank you," I said sweetly, "and thank you for not turning right around and stabbing me in the back."

Oberon gave me a sheepish grin and chuckled. The two of us then sat by each other in silence, not knowing what else to say to one another for quite a while. Oberon and I looked up at each other and stopped when we made eye contact, I felt my cheeks heat up as I stared into his eyes again.

"Um… Oberon," I started to say.

"Ari…" he started to say.

I looked down as I felt his hand slide onto my own, our fingers started locking together.

"Oberon… I… I…" I tried to say.

Oberon and I started leaning in close to each other, I could smell his breath as our lips came close to touching.

 _"I don't want to do this,"_ I thought, _"I don't want to do this, I'm not allowed to do this, an Assassin about to kiss a Templar, that's… that's against the morals of the brotherhood right? Right?_ _ **RIGHT!?**_ "

But before I knew it, Oberon and I touched noses, sending a chill down my spine, even caused a gasp to escape my lips. Before I knew it, my body started to feel warm and relaxed, as Oberon and I nuzzled noses.

"Oberon… this is… I don't know," I whispered.

"No one has to know," he whispered back, "it can be just between you and I."

Our lips touched, but Oberon was quick to pull away when I moved in to kiss him, Oberon touched my lips once again and pulled away when I moved in to kiss him. A small whimper came out as he did the same thing to me at least two to three more times.

"Stop teasing me," I said.

Oberon smiled and touched my lips, but before he could pull away, I jumped on the man and knocked him over on his back, kissing him passionately. I don't know what came over me the moment I kissed him, all I know is that I soon found his arms wrapped around me and my arms were wrapped around him in a lover's embrace.

"W-W-Wait, Oberon, the door," I said.

"Huh?" asked Oberon.

He turned and looked at the door, seeing that it was open. He got up, went over and closed and locked it.

"Better?" he asked.

I nodded. Oberon walked back over and hopped in my bunk, pulling me in his embrace again as he kissed and cuddled with me, squeezing me in his arms as I felt him move down and kiss me right on the neck. As he pulled away, I gave him an innocent look.

"Gibst du mir nicht sagen (Don't you want me)?" I asked.

Oberon brought his hands up and started to open my shirt, undoing one button at a time until my breasts were exposed right in front of him. Oberon dove in, kissing me on the neck once more before moving down to my collarbone, a sigh escaped my lips as I felt him glide his warm, wet tongue across my skin.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I... I'm fine," I said with a smile.

Oberon smiled at me and opened my shirt up, giving him free reign as her started becoming more... affectionate to say the least. And that wasn't the only thing either, I felt my face get hot as he undid his shirt and tossed it on the floor.

 _"Ich werde sterben (I'm gonna die),"_ I thought.

I wasn't joking either, Oberon might've looked young; but he sure as hell had a pretty built frame. Oberon gave me a look when he saw my face.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I just... I never expected you to be so... So..." I said as I gripped his left arm, "wow your arm is hard."

Oberon leaned in and nuzzled noses with me.

"Is that going to be a problem?" He asked.

I shook my head.

"Good," he said.

Oberon continued, working his way further down, he unhooked my bra and opened it up, leaving my breasts on full display.

 _"This isn't going to be worth it, this isn't going to be worth it, this is so not going to be worth-"_

But my thoughts were interrupted as Oberon grabbed my breasts, squeezing them and fondling them as he started to lick me again, causing chills to go down my spine, a soft gasp flew out as Oberon playfully bit my ribs and suck on them hungrily.

 _"This is soooo worth it,"_ I thought.

Oberon wrapped his arms around my body and pressed me against him, his body felt so warm, the way he kissed and licked my neck, the way he bit me and squeezed my right breast, I felt my body start going crazy, wanting him to continue.

"Mehr Oberon mehr (More Oberon, more)," I begged.

Oberon smiled as he set me down again, moving down and undoing my pants, unbuttoning and unzipping it, pulling it down to my thighs as he continued working his magic. I began panting and moaning as Oberon kissed my lower belly, the never ending chills going down my spine as he started massaging my inner thighs, he tugged on my underwear with his teeth, pulling them down to my pants and leaving my vagina exposed.

"Ready?" He asked as he undid his pants and pulled them down along with his underwear.

"Oberon, wait, wait, wait," I said.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I… I'm not ready to… lose it yet," I said innocently, "if… I want to lose it… I want it to be someone that I love you know?"

"Ahh… I get it," he said as he turned me over onto my stomach and propped my ass up, "don't worry, I'll just come in through the back."

I felt my heart start to race as he poked me ass with the tip of his hardened member.

"W-W-Wait, w-what do you mean the ba-"

But my question was cut off as I felt Oberon spear me from behind without so much as a warning.

"KYAAAA!" I squealed.

Oberon grabbed my hips and started thrusting, going at a moderate pace as he started to fuck me. I gripped the bed sheets tightly and bit my lower lip as Oberon pulled out slowly and went in fast, burying his cock deep inside of my ass as he continued thrusting, gradually going faster and faster until my breasts started bouncing from the thrusting.

"S-S-Schwerer (H-H-Harder)," I begged.

Oberon started thrusting harder, his cock driving deep inside of my back entrance, like a torpedo impacting against the stern of a ship. Oberon squeezed my hips mid thrust, invoking me to let out a high-pitched squeal before bringing his hands up to squeeze and fondle my breasts once more.

"Ravage mich Oberon ... verwüsten mich (Ravage me Oberon... ravage me)," I begged.

Oberon gave me a smile, pleased to see that I wanted more, I let out a squeal again as his poked his index fingers into my erect nipples, pushing them deep inside. I felt my nails dig deeper into the bed sheets, not from the pleasure, but from the slight discomfort.

"Sorry, aber ich konnte sehen, dass Sie pleasured genossen werden (Sorry, but I could tell you enjoyed being pleasured)," he said as he leaned down, "Ich wollte sehen, wie Sie Schmerzen sah (I wanted to see how you looked in pain)."

Before I knew it, Oberon bit down on my shoulder, I winced and let out a moan from the pain he inflicted on me.

"Ja! Das ist es (Yes! That's it)!" I exclaimed.

Oberon gave me a smile. Now he was really going to have some fun. Oberon bit down on my other shoulder this time as he continued thrusting his cock in my ass, penetrating deep inside of me. I let out an orgasmic cry as he clawed me on my back.

"M-Mach weiter (K-Keep going)," I begged.

Oberon happily obliged and kept thrusting, and ravaging me, driving my body into ecstasy as he clawed me, bit me right on my neck and shoulders, lathering both areas in spit before he started to suck on my neck.

"Mach weiter, Oberon (Keep going, Oberon)," I begged, "Ich fühle mich etwas kommen (I feel something coming (I feel something coming)."

Oberon kept sucking on my neck, this time, causing a warm feeling to wash over me as he moved over to my ear and started to bite and pull on it. I craned my head, I could feel something coming, something that was causing my whole body to start going really crazy. Just then, I heard Oberon let out a groan, which caused me to look up.

"Was ist los mit dir (What's wrong)?" I asked.

"Sie begann auf mich zu eng wird (You started to get tight on me)," he said.

But that didn't stop Oberon, he kept thrusting, groaning as he forced his cock inside of me; and all the while as he went back to biting my ear. This feeling inside of me... it was starting to become too much... too much!

"Oberon ... Ich kann es nicht mehr (Oberon... I can't take it anymore)," I said, "Ich werde ... Ich werde (I'm going... I'm going)."

But my words were cut off as I craned my head and let out an orgasmic cry, releasing whatever was inside of me. With one final thrust, Oberon let out a loud cry as well, I felt him relieve himself inside of me before falling over right beside me on the bed, panting heavily. I too, was also panting heavily.

"O-Oberon... I feel something leaking out of me," I said.

Oberon moved closer to me and kissed me right on the lips.

"It's alright," he said, "it just means that you enjoyed yourself."

I blushed with embarrassment.

"Did you... enjoy your first time?" He asked.

I turned and gave Oberon a smile.

"Yeah... I did enjoy myself," I said as I put my head on his chest.

Oberon chuckled and ran his fingers through my hair.

"You weren't too bad for a first timer," he said.

I blushed.

"And here I thought you were the kind of Assassin who wouldn't enjoy a little fun time," he said.

"Doesn't mean I won't try new things," I said as I bopped him on the head.

Oberon chuckled.

"Hey uh... Listen kiddo... If... If things don't work out between my wife and I when this war is over..." He said, "I was thinking... Maybe you and I might-"

"Oberon," I said.

"Huh?" He asked.

"Let's not take it that far," I said, "I mean... You're still married and everything."

"Oh... right," he said, "sorry."

I smiled and turned his head so he would be facing me.

"That being said... You are a very sweet man," I said, "I wouldn't mind having a man like that in my life. Especially a man... who's a Templar. Someone who's able to handle himself in terms of... uh... Politics I guess?"

Oberon chuckled and poked me on the nose.

"Dummes Mädchen," he said.

I frowned as I laid down right beside him.

 _"I'm not silly,"_ I thought, _"I'm just... young and a little wet behind the ears."_

 **I'm sure you're all wondering why this chapter's been updated. Let's just say an anonymous reader didn't like how the relationship between Oberon and Ariela was going and... after looking through the chapter again I thought to myself, "Fuck it". I mean let's be real here, the guy's married.**

 **No married guy who's in the military would walk away with a woman's virginity right?**

 **Anyway, sorry for the inconvenience, hope you understand and, I hope you'll enjoy this updated chapter for Judgment.**


	28. Chapter 27: Race to Cambridge

Chapter 27

Race to Cambridge

"AHHHHHHH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

I awoke in Oberon's arms… and to loud maniacal laughter. When I looked over at the door, my face went red almost instantly.

"I knew it! I bloody-fucking knew it!" exclaimed Katrina, "I knew there was a reason why you were squealing and screaming!"

I let out a squeak. The last thing I wanted was to wake up and find out that Katrina… heard me.

"Ugh… Ari… What time is it?" asked Oberon.

He was quick to fall silent though when he saw that Katrina was in the room.

"Uh-oh," he said.

"Katrina… please promise me that you won't breathe a word of this to the others," I said, "they'll never let me live it down."

Katrina laughed.

"I won't tell love, you need not worry," she said.

I let out a sigh of relief and climbed out of bed.

"Well good," I said as I started to get dressed.

Suddenly, Katrina pulled me aside and whispered, "How was it?"

"I-It was my first time," I whispered.

Katrina let out a gasp.

"Are you serious?" she whispered.

"Y-Yeah," I whispered.

Katrina laughed.

"Don't feel so ashamed about it," she said, "at least you've gone from young girl to a mature young woman."

"Oh I made her a woman alright," said Oberon.

I bonked Oberon on the head again.

"Ouch!" he yelped.

Oberon got out of bed and started to get dressed.

"Um… what time is it?" I asked.

"Morning," said Katrina, "small team was waiting here to take the supplies back to headquarters."

"I see," I said as I strapped on my vest, "and I take it they've gotten to work on upgrading my aircraft?"

"They said they would begin the upgrades as soon as possible," said Katrina.

"Good," said Oberon, "I hope it doesn't take too long."

Katrina walked over to Oberon and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey uh… Listen… I know I don't say this a lot, mainly because I prefer to save face, but… you're not half bad Oberon," said Katrina.

Oberon smirked.

"You're not half bad at all," said Katrina.

I smiled, hearing Katrina compliment Oberon. The three of us made our upstairs, I took a deep breath and exhaled, taking in the scent from open water.

"Ahh… what a beautiful morning," I said, "let's get back to the headquarters huh? I'm starving."

"I'm sure there's a nearby diner said Katrina, "you can get some breakfast there."

"Oh, hell yeah," I said as I followed Katrina into town.

Katrina lead Oberon and I to a nearby diner for breakfast, as we entered the establishment, we were quickly given a table. That was one of the perks of being an Assassin, we get the utmost treatment when entering a restaurant thanks to how we've been helping people through some of the most difficult times.

"You know Oberon… I've been thinking," Katrina said as she sat down, "you've been showing me a lot of potential ever since you've been working alongside Ariela."

I blushed as I sat down at our table.

"I just figured I would repay my debt to her… god knows I've made a lot of shitty mistakes in my life," Oberon said as he sat down beside me.

Katrina smiled.

"Well… Why not atone for your mistakes and fight for a much better cause?" she asked.

Oberon raised an eyebrow.

"Atone for my mistakes?" he asked, "how?"

"Join us," said Katrina, "become an Assassin."

I nearly choked as I down a bit of my water.

"An Assassin? Me?" asked Oberon.

Katrina nodded.

"You can atone for your mistakes that way," she said with a smile, "plus, it would be nice to have someone who was on the inside."

Oberon looked down.

"I don't know… I mean… part of me wants this and everything but-"

Oberon was cut off as I put my hand on his hand, he looked at me and blushed as I smiled at him. Oberon looked back at Katrina and smiled.

"You know what?" he asked, "I'll do it."

I smiled and kissed Oberon on the cheek, causing him to turn more red than a strawberry.

"Hee, hee I've never seen a young Templar turn red so fast from one little peck," teased Katrina.

Oberon didn't say anything. I just giggled, he looked so cute when he's all flustered. A waitress soon came by with a basket of crumpets, before asking us what we each liked to eat, before making her way back to the kitchen.

"Huh… crumpets," I said.

"What? You expected to get bread rolls or something for us to snack on while we wait for our food?" asked Katrina.

"Uh…" I started to say.

I looked down, Katrina gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed," she said, "you've never ate at a British restaurant before haven't you?"

"Of course not, it's not like I have time to go exploring some of the countries here in Europe while there's a war going on," I spat.

Oberon chuckled.

"My, my, you get awfully vicious when someone asks you a simple question don't you?" he asked.

"To some degree," I said.

The three of us quietly sat at our table, enjoying our helping of crumpets and honey butter, occasionally asking each other a few questions about our lives. As it turns out, Katrina wears an eyepatch to cover up a nasty scar she got during her youth… abusive boyfriend from what she told Oberon and I.

"Bloody fucker, came home drunk one night after losing a card game and took his anger out on me," said Katrina, "threw his bottle at me before I had a chance to duck and got me right in the face."

"So what happened?" I asked.

Katrina giggled.

"After I joined the Assassins I tracked the bastard down, gave him a piece of my mind," she said, "told him if I ever saw his face again I would make sure that he never used his hands ever again."

I couldn't help but smile, this girl was a lot tougher than I thought, who knows how her ex must've reacted when she said that to him. I looked over at Oberon, who was about to go next and tell a story from his life; but before he could even get any words out, fear pierced my heart as we all heard the spine-chilling sound of the air raid alarm.

"FUCK! They're here!" exclaimed Katrina.

"Here we go again," I said.

"We have to get to headquarters!" I exclaimed, "and prey that they have my plane upgraded already."

Without any more time, the three of us jumped out of our chairs and charged out of the restaurant.

"How are we going to get there in time?" I asked.

Katrina looked around and saw a car coming nearby, she ran out into the streets, waving a hand and forcing the driver to stop, she went over and knocked on the window, the motioning for the man to roll down his window.

"Mind if I drive?" she asked.

The man unfastened his seatbelt and moved into the back, Katrina climbed into the driver seat and motioned for us to go inside as well, which we happily obliged. Oberon took the front; I took the back.

"Step on it Katrina!" I barked.

"Don't yell at me!" she snapped as she turned and looked at me, "and will it kill you to say please?"

"Step on it… please," I muttered.

"Was that so hard?" she asked.

I watched as Katrina changed gears and slammed her foot on the gas, causing the car to let out a loud screech from its tires before zooming off towards Cambridge.

"Say, you don't think that the Templars would be stupid enough to send another ground team… would they?" I asked.

Suddenly, my answer was given to me as a few stray machinegun bullets flew through the back of the car and out through the front windshield. I looked out of the window and gasped, seeing three military jeeps flying right behind us, each one carrying a driver, a passage, and a gunner.

"I'm guessing yes," said Oberon.

I cursed under my breath and drew my one of my Colts.

"Stay down," I said to the man.

The man nodded and ducked down as I brought my gun out and started firing on the Templar pursuers. I didn't get to squeeze off too many shots though, because before I knew it, one of the jeep gunners started firing on me and I had to duck back into the car.

 _"That was too close,"_ I thought as I started panting.

I looked at Katrina, who was driving down the road like a mad woman.

"Hey Katrina, how long until we get to Cambridge?" I asked.

"About five hours I recon," she said, "but maybe six at the most."

"What if we didn't have six hours?" I asked as I climbed out and started firing again.

"We'd have to try to find some place to hunker down until the battle was over," said Katrina, "why?"

I pulled myself back into the car as one of the gunners started firing on me again.

"Because these dranie (bastards) will kill us in a few minutes unless if you step on it," I said.

I heard Katrina curse under her breath as she slammed down on the gas pedal, causing the car to jerk forward as it picked up speed.

"In that case, you'd better hang on love," she said.

Without warning, I let out a squeal as Katrina made a sharp turn and headed down the street, entering the freeway. I looked out of the window and saw that the Templars were still in pursuit. Then I had to duck back into the car when one of the fuckers fired on me again. I ducked down, but the man who was in the back with me, let out a pained grunt as a few shots went into his back and killed him. I growled and poked my head out again, eyeing my three targets.

In a situation like this, sometimes you're going to be given choices… choices that you don't want to make… not because they're bad… but because they're just bat-shit crazy.

"Katrina, pull back," I said.

"Wait, what!?" she exclaimed, "are you out of your guard!?"

"Just do it!" I snapped.

Katrina grumbled under her breath and pushed her foot down on the brakes to slow us down just enough for the jeeps to catch up to us.

"You'd better have a bloody good reason for why I have to do this Ariela," she said, "because I just-"

Katrina stopped and gasped as she turned to see me open the car door, with the man's dead body being used as a type of shield. I didn't want to use the man as a shield; but I couldn't exactly use my gauntlets since the gunner of the third jeep was firing on us.

"What the hell are you doing!?" she exclaimed.

"This!" I called out.

As soon as the gunner stopped firing, I tossed the man's corpse out of the car, drew my Colt and fired, shooting the gunner in the head and causing him to fall out of his spot. Before the driver could even react, I jumped onto the jeep and climbed in the gunner's seat, drawing my Colt again and shooting the passenger in the back of the head, killing him. As I aimed my weapon at the driver, I ducked for cover as the other two jeep gunners started firing, spraying a hail of machinegun rounds my way.

"Ariela!" Oberon called out.

"Oberon, stay down!" I called out over the machinegun fire.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the Templar who was driving the jeep I was in, started swerving, trying to get me to rise up just enough for his friends to get a shot at me. I was _not_ about to have it.

"Wenn Sie nach Hause zu Ihrer Familie in einem Stück gehen wollen, sollten Sie besser verdammt Laufwerk gerade Hündin (If you want to go home to your family in one piece, you'd better fucking drive straight bitch)!" I snapped as I shoved my Colt into the back of his neck.

The Templar started to drive straight, which allowed me to holster my sidearm, draw my Springfield, getting ready to take a few potshots.

"Ariela!" Oberon called out, "two more!"

I peeked out from behind cover. Sure enough, two more jeeps came rolling up to the freeway from one of the entrances we passed. I rolled my eyes.

"Fuck me," I grumbled as I ducked down again, "okay, how am I going to do this? I can't afford to expose myself unless if I want to run the risk of being pumped full of lead."

I activated my Eagle Vision and started looking for possible targets of opportunity, I didn't manage to find anything so far; but it wasn't until I said a faint glow from the tires on each of the Templar vehicles. I grinned.

 _"Hmm… That'll do,"_ I thought.

I set my Springfield down and drew my Colt again, I took a few deep breaths, steeling myself before springing up like a jack in the box.

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

My last six shots were fired on three out of four jeeps, three of them hit the wheels of the second and fourth jeep, which caused them to swerve and crash. The last three missed their mark.

 _"DAMN!"_ I thought bitterly as I ducked down to reload.

"SHIT!" Katrina screamed.

I was confused on why she shouted that word out; but when I looked up at the sky, I let out a gasp as a pair of 109s came flying towards us.

 _"They wouldn't open fire on us… would they?"_ I thought.

Suddenly, I saw all three jeeps move out of the way, giving their friends to take their shot. I instantly started to panic.

"NO!" I screamed.

I didn't have time to reload my Colt, so I dropped it on the bed of the jeep, I brought my Springfield up and took aim. I didn't know if my rounds would be able to pierce through airplane armor; but there was no time for questions, so I started firing off rounds. If I couldn't take them down I could at least try to scare them off.

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

 _Click-clack_

 _BANG!_

I fired all eight rounds on both planes, they swerved; but they didn't scatter from my hits. I tried to reload as fast as I could… but my whole body locked up, as the most spine-chilling sound filled the air…

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

I peeked out and saw that Katrina was trying to swerve, evading the rounds as best as she could before a few shots caused the car to start smoking. I gritted my teeth and threw my Springfield down.

 _"To nie jest czas, aby przelecieć wokół cholery (This isn't the time to fuck around dammit)!"_ I scolded myself.

I jumped to my feet and grabbed the gun turret in the jeep, turning it around and aiming it at the first and third jeep, opening fire on them with a storm of bullets. I managed to take out the first jeep, which exploded into a ball of fire, the third one swerved and crashed after the passenger and driver took a few too many hits. I quickly turned my attention to the 109s and aimed the turret at them.

" _FUCK YOU!_ " I screamed as I sprayed.

This time, the 109s swerved and began to break off from my attack.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

The machinegun rounds chewed through the 109s, especially the 109 on the right, who started to spin and plummet to the ground in a cataclysmic explosion. The 109 on the left broke away and flew off, leaving me to let out short, hard breaths.

 _"Fuck… off,"_ I thought.

I turned and looked at my friends, who seemed to be slowing down. I felt my heart sink.

"Oh no," I said.

I put my Colt to the Templar's head.

"STOP THE DAMN JEEP!" I barked.

He was quick to slam on the brakes, before I hopped out, I struck the driver in the back of the head to knock him out.

"GUYS! GUYS!" I called out as I ran over to the car.

As I made my way over to them, I could see the damage those 109s did: The car took a lot of hits, a good number of them went clean through; but that wasn't what made me stop. What made me stop…

"Katrina," I said as I ran to her aid.

I picked her up and held her in my arms, Katrina winced and grunted in pain as she tried to sit up straight.

"Ugh… Hehe… Guess I took some bad knocks huh?" she asked weakly.

"Hang on Katrina," I said as I tried to help her up, "I-I'll try to get you over to the jeep… we'll get you to Cambridge."

"N-No! No, no…" groaned Katrina, "Ariela… no."

I looked at Katrina like she was crazy.

"No? What do you mean no?" I asked.

"I-It's… It's too late for me," she said, "I… I'd never make it in time… You… You have to go on without me… You h-have to get to your fighter… t-t-take these bastards down."

My vision started to become blurry, as tears started to roll down my face.

"Oh no, Katrina," Oberon said as he approached.

Katrina smiled at him.

"H-Hey Oberon," she said.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Listen… I'm sorry I underestimated you, you're pretty good… Good enough to join the cause I'd say…" Katrina said as she started to remove her hidden blades, "here…"

Katrina handed her hidden blades over to Oberon, the look on his face when he held them… it almost looked like he was getting something he's always wanted; but at the same time… he didn't want them… not even a little.

"Ariela," Katrina said as she turned to me.

"Yes?" I asked.

"The Assassins… have been good to me… they'll be good for him as well," she said, "…tell them… to make it… count."

I watched as Katrina let out her last breath before closing her eyes and going limp in my arms. I closed my eyes and started to cry. Yet again… another ally of mine had died right before me.

"Ariela…" said Oberon.

"…We can't leave her here," I said.

"Ariela… You're not seriously thinking about taking her back to Cambridge with us are you?" asked Oberon.

"I'm not going to leave her hear for the birds to pick at her like she's fucking roadkill Oberon!" I snapped, "what sorry kind of Assassin would do that?"

Oberon gave me a somber look.

"I can't leave her here… _We_ … Can't leave her hear," I said.

Oberon looked down at Katrina, then he looked at the blades she gave him and slapped 'em on his wrists. With a flick of his wrists, the blades ejected and retracted with another flick of his wrists.

"Then let's go," he said.

Oberon helped me put Katrina in the back of the jeep. I climbed in with her while Oberon made his way to the driver seat and pulled the unconscious Templar out onto the road, landing with a dull thud. Oberon climbed into the jeep and fired up the engine, taking the three of us back to Cambridge.

 _"Your death will not be in vain Katrina,"_ I thought as I placed my hand on her forehead, _"I swear it."_


	29. Chapter 28: Rematch

Chapter 28

Rematch

"Guys!" Ronald exclaimed as he ran over to us.

Oberon and I hopped out of the jeep, I of course, carried Katrina's body. When Ronald saw that Katrina wasn't moving, he let out a gasp and took her from me.

"What happened?" he asked sadly.

"We got chased down by Templars in jeeps and fighters, Oberon only got a few grazes… Katrina…" I said as my voice trailed off.

Ronald held Katrina in his arms, he started to sob. As I watched Ronald break down in front of me, I started wondering… was he her lover? Were they close friends? Were they siblings? Were they partners?

"Ronald… Sir," Oberon said as he stepped forward, "for what it's worth… She… She was a fine Assassin. And… if I could, I would take her place."

Ronald looked up at Oberon, but stopped quick when he saw that he was sporting her hidden blades. For a moment, I was afraid that he would get angry and try to take them, saying that Oberon didn't deserve her weapons; but… to my surprise, he just set Katrina down and put a hand on Oberon's shoulder.

"Do now see… the tyranny of the Templars…? The pain that they cause? The chaos they spread?" asked Ronald.

"…Yes," said Oberon.

"Then prove it," said Ronald, "prove to us that you have denounced your former brothers and fight alongside us to stave off their assault."

Oberon nodded.

"It shall be done," he said.

Ronald turned to me.

"Ariela, our engineers didn't have the time to fully upgrade your fighter, but we've managed to improve it just enough for you to stand a chance against Bertram," he said.

"Mmm… Well… I would've liked it if my plane was fully upgraded like I had hoped," I said as I took off my coat, "but I suppose it's better than nothing."

I removed my weapons as well, with the exception of my Colts and my Dirk, I handed my items to an Assassin and raced to my fighter, while Oberon raced to an unoccupied Assassin Spitfire. I was quick to climb into my seat and close up the canopy, firing up the engine and taking to the air without hesitation. I looked out to my right and saw that Oberon had to the air as well, we stared at each other for a good minute before I gave him a thumbs up, telling him "Good luck". He smiled at me.

"You too," he said.

"Gemeinsam für den Sieg (Together for victory)?" I asked.

"Gemeinsam für den Sieg (Together for victory)," he said.

I let out a laugh and sped ahead of him, my hands wrapped around my stick as my eyes scanned the battlefield for the nearest target. A smile etched across my face as I spotted someone near my position as I flew into the fray: An Me 109 that was on a little strafe run.

 _"Good start,"_ I thought as I made my way towards him.

As I felt the speed increase, I was surprised to see how much of a difference the upgrades to the engine was, it was much faster than normal. The purr that my fighter gave off, tingled through my body, it was enough to make me smile and let out a laugh from the rush.

Sorry… I was going off topic.

Anyway… As I closed in on my target, I locked on him and squeezed the trigger on the stick.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

My fighter vibrated as the guns flared to life, spraying the 109 with a hail of gunfire as I started to tear him a part. I smiled.

 _"So that's what tightly compacted rounds can do,"_ I thought as I kept spraying.

With a few hundred more shots, the 109 went down in a raging fireball; and a good thing too, because there was another one that was flying right at me, firing a hail of bullets right at me. I frowned and started to fire back, seeing's how my opponent's rounds weren't doing shit to my fighter.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

My opponent tried to evade, but he took a few too many in the engine and exploded in a raging fireball. I smiled.

 _"So this is what it's like to feel like-"_

But my thoughts were cut off as the sound of gunfire filled the air, all around me.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

Two 109s were flying at me from the right, each one of them trying to shoot me down, I tightened the grip around my stick and pulled out of their line of fire in a half "S" maneuver, firing back as I winded up right behind my new targets. The 109s broke off, not wanting to get gunned down. I went after the 109 on the left, chasing and spraying him with a hail of rounds from behind. This guy seemed a little bit smarter than the last two pilots I shot down, as he tried to swerve and fly low in an attempt to move out of my line of fire.

I wasn't about to have it though, as I kept on him, ceasing fire and then returning fire when I lined up the shot and opening fire on him from behind once again before I moved up and opened fire on his friend, who was coming back to help him. Now… as I was about to fire my primary guns, something went off in my head and I remembered another thing that I brought back here to Britain after Oberon and I sunk _The Hearth._ I wrapped my fingers around my stick again and fired on the second 109.

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

That's right, it turns out that the Templars managed to find a way to take AA flak rounds and make them into ammunition for their aircraft. These "Corsair" rounds are designed for one thing and one thing only: For engaging in dogfights and taking down long range bombers. And I happened to steal a few dozen belts of those to be added to my cannons.

"But Ariela," You're probably asking, "Corsair is the definition for a pirate, why give those rounds such a name?"

Isn't it obvious? Corsairs sail ships. Ships use cannons as their primary weapon when engaging in battle. Flak rounds are fired from cannons… You see where I'm going?

"TASTE FLAK MOTHERFUCKER!" I yelled.

All around him, black puffs of smoke started to pop up around the 109, which caused the pilot to start swerving in an attempt to get out of the way to avoid getting taken out from the shrapnel. I watched him evade my attack, but not without suffering a bit of punishment, as he was now trailing smoke. I turned my attention back to the first 109, increasing my speed and resuming my pursuit, squeezing the trigger and firing my main guns on my target, since my cannons were more for close range attacks.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

With only a few hundred rounds, I took the bastard down, his plane spun out of control before colliding to the ground with a cataclysmic explosion. I smiled and looked back to see that the second 109 had fled, my guess is he went somewhere to either stick close to someone who still had a fighter that was at full strength or he fled the fight. I want to say the former but…

"How you doing Oberon?" I asked.

There was a pause, then I heard his voice through my communicator.

"Walking on sunshine, Ari," he said, "walking on sunshine."

I smiled before I turned my attention towards a 109 that flew past me… a 109 with Templar markings.

"You sure you don't feel bad about doing this?" I asked as I started firing.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well it's just that… You kind of did (Come on, come on) say that you denounced your allegiance with the Templars," I said as I tried to stay on my target.

I heard Oberon mutter something on the other line, he must've been in a fight himself.

"Ari, I've served in the Templar military for too long already and they made me do things that will haunt me for (Gotcha!) the rest of my life," he said, "I have no reason to feel bad about doing this."

I saw my target fly low.

"Oh… Well good," I said as I performed a half "S", making my way to the front of my target, "I just thought I'd ask."

I squeezed the trigger on my stick, firing my corsairs on the 109 and sending him down to the surface with a loud crash.

"Thank you for showing your concern Ari-"

I felt my heart skip a beat as I heard Oberon's compliment get replaced by grunts of frustration and cursing.

"Oberon? Oberon!" I called out, "Oberon what's going-"

"Dammit! Er kam aus dem Nichts! Ich kann ihn nicht schütteln (Dammit! He came out of nowhere! I can't shake him)!" he interrupted, "Ari! Ari helfen Sie mir (Ari! Ari help me)!"

I felt my heart start to sink as my eyes began to dart around the sky, trying to pick out which Spitfire was Oberon. Actually, I already knew which Spitfire was Oberon's, as there was a 109 chasing him down… a 109 I recognized. I let out slow deep breaths, gripped my stick, turned and sped towards Oberon.

"Hang on! I'm coming!" I yelled into my communicator.

As if on cue, Oberon's Spitfire turned and made its way towards me, flying at top speed as he tried to meet up with me, while Bertram was busy trying to gun him down. My grip on my stick got tighter and tighter, the closer I got to Oberon. As soon as the two of them were in range…

"Oberon! Ente aus (Oberon! Duck out)!" I barked.

Oberon flew low, I fired on Bertram, who flew right over me as soon as he saw the first ten shots. I turned my head and growled, making a hard right turn and facing him head on as he too had turned to look me dead on too. My fighter might not have been fully upgraded to match his, but as I said before, it's better than nothing, as I shook off my nervousness and I steeled myself, I felt as though everyone and everything around me seemed to… disappear. As if only Bertram and I were the only ones preparing to engage in the ultimate air battle.

 _"Es ist Zeit, die Partitur, Sie Templar Hurensohn zu begleichen (It's time to settle the score, you Templar son of a bitch)!"_ I thought as I lurched ahead.

Bertram and I fired on each other, spraying a few hundred rounds before breaking off and flying past each. The fight was on.

 _"Sie werden mich nicht (You won't take me)!"_ I thought as I turned around and lurched forward.

I closed in on Bertram from behind, locking on and getting ready to spray when I saw him perform a half "S", going low and trying to get a shot at me from behind no doubt. I growled.

 _"Nicht heute (Not today),"_ I thought as I performed a half "S" as well.

But I didn't go low like he did. No, I went high and then moved downward, squeezing the trigger on my stick and firing my cannons when Klaus got in close.

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

Bertram made a quick left turn. I had him.

 _"Eat this,"_ I thought.

My main guns flared to life, spraying a hail of machinegun rounds at Klaus as he tried to gain some distance from me. My heart started racing as my adrenaline was going into overdrive, seeing bits and pieces of Bertram fighter fly off from my newly upgraded rounds. Smoke soon started spilling out of Bertram fighter as a few of my shots hit his engine, when suddenly out of nowhere, two Templar fighters came flying right at me.

 _"Damn!"_ I thought as I broke away from Klaus.

I couldn't take both of them out at the same time, I knew I had to take out one. As for the other, I either had to shake 'em or try to outmaneuver him before killing him.

 _"Left,"_ I thought as I went for the left fighter.

"Need a hand?" asked a voice.

"Huh?" I asked.

Suddenly, out of the clear blue, a wounded Spitfire appeared and fired on the fighter to the right, causing him to break off. I smiled.

"Oberon!" I chimed.

I saw another Spitfire appear.

"Ronald!" I chimed.

"We'll take care of any buggers that Bertram calls in Ari," said Ronald, "don't you worry."

"Skopiuj to (Copy that)," I said.

I fired my cannons on the fighter to the left, causing him to explode after four shots. I swerved to the right, not wanting to get taken out by my downed target. My eyes darted around the sky, trying to spot Bertram.

 _"I wouldn't be surprised if the fucker-"_

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

 _"Aw geez,"_ I thought as I dropped low.

I couldn't believe it, the fucker ambushed me!

"Sie denken, dass, nur weil Sie Ihre Kämpfer aktualisieren, dass Sie das Beste von mir bekommen könnte (You think that just because you upgrade your fighter that you could get the best of me)!?" demanded a voice.

It was Bertram, he didn't sound happy.

"Dass Sie ein Triple-Ace abschießen könnte !? Nicht annähernd (That you could shoot down a Triple Ace!? Not even close)!" he yelled.

Judging by the tone in his voice, he sounded like he was angered and desperate, he knows that my plane's been upgraded, which is why I didn't flee the battle. It also means that with my upgrades I'm able to match him on even ground.

 _"However, if he's desperate, it means he'll start making mistakes,"_ I thought as I swerved out of the way of his corsair fire, _"if I can get him to slip up even once… then this fight will be very short."_

There was one question though… how could I make him slip up? How could I get him to make a mistake that would allow me to achieve my victory? His focus on me might've increased but… wait… his focus…

"Oberon! Oberon!" I called.

"Ari? He asked, "what's wrong?"

"I need you to do a big favor for me," I said, "I need you to provide me with a little window."

"A window?" he asked.

"Yes, I need you to try and get Bertram's attention," I said.

"What!?" he demanded, "are you out of your mind!?"

"Just trust me, I just only need you to give me a few seconds," I said, "pieprz mnie (fuck me)!"

I flew high, hearing the sound of Klaus's corsairs firing behind me, I let out a grunt, feeling my plane jerk after a stray shot exploded right above my left wing. I started to smoke for a bit… huh… guess I know where the upgrades stopped.

 _"And if Klaus took notice…"_ I thought.

"Alright… You'll get your window," said Oberon.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

Bertram fired his main guns.

"Hurry!" I screamed as I turned and flew back down below.

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

 _Rattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaattaatta!_

Bertram started to press the assault, spraying me with a hailstorm of rounds as he tried to shoot off one of my wings. This was bad, this was starting to get _really_ bad…

"Ich habe dich jetzt hast, du verdammter polnisch-deutschen Mischlings (I've got you now, you fucking Polish-German half-breed)!" Bertram roared with a twisted cackle.

As I flew closer and closer to the ground below before leveling out, I heard a voice.

"HALLO! Das ist mein Mischlings Sie sprechen (HEY! That's my half-breed you're talking about)!" shouted Oberon.

I turned around and saw his Spitfire fly out of nowhere, firing on Bertram with a hail of rounds before flying right past him. Bertram started to rage.

"VERRÄTER! Ich werde Ihnen die Sie gerade jetzt zog für diesen Stunt töten (TRAITOR! I'll kill you for that stunt you pulled just now)!" he screamed.

I turned and saw Bertram break off from me. He took the bait. I smiled and made a right turn, flying right behind Bertram and speeding up so I could get in close enough for a clear shot. As soon as I was in range and I started firing my main guns, Oberon broke off. Bertram's voice was heard through my comms as he yelled in frustration, trying to shake me off as his fighter started smoking; but I wasn't going to let that happen.

"ES IST ZEIT BERTRAM zu sterben (IT'S TIME TO DIE BERTRAM)!" I screamed.

His fighter started to break apart, he started to swerve in an attempt to evade; but I still stayed on his ass.

 _"Kiss corsairs bitch,"_ I thought as I squeezed my other trigger.

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

Bertram's fighter really started to come apart, his fighter had now caught fire as I continued to hammer him repeatedly. As soon as his craft was near death, I saw his engine explode before he came spinning down into a nearby area down below next to a lake.

 _"He might be down… but I know for damn sure that he's not out,"_ I thought as I watched his plane crash.

I made a quick turnaround before landing in the same area, pulling back on my stick to slow down my craft until I came to a stop. I opened up my cockpit and hopped out, drawing my Colt and making my way to Bertram's craft, I brought my Colt up, holding it with both hands as I got ready to point forward and fire. Closer and closer, I got to the wrecked 109 until… I jumped onto the left wing and aimed forward. My eyes went wide.

"He's… gone?" I asked myself as I holstered my weapon.

I jumped off of the wing and prepared to go around to the other side, thinking that he was laying against his craft, slowly dying when…

 ** _"LOOK OUT!"_**

In a flash, I turned around and brought my right gauntlet down, blocking a sneak attack from Bertram as he tried to stab me from behind. With a flick of my wrist, my left hidden blade shot out and I brought it up into his chest, burying the cold steel into his chest. Bertram let out a pained grunt and started to lean against me, his knees beginning to buckle. I grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and pinned him against his fighter, pulling my blade out.

"…Impossible… This is… Impossible," he said, "I… I was the order's top pilot… No one… could touch me."

"In the sky? No," I said, "on the ground…"

Bertram looked up at me, he looked awful, blood was seeping through his jacket and pants, blood also ran down his face. I knew I fucked him up, but I didn't think I _fucked_ him up.

"Don't be so upset Bertram," I said, "everyone meets their better sooner or later."

Bertram started smile and let out a weak chuckle, I raised an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You think… You've won?" he asked, "you think you won some… major victory by shooting me down? Ah-hahaha, urk!"

I frowned.

"What are you going on about?" I asked.

"Ah-hahaha! You stupid half-breed, do you think my men wanted to participate in this battle just as support?" he asked, "…no… My men and I were assigned… To weaken your numbers. We knew… the tracer had to have been located in Cambridge… That's why my men and I kept aiding the Germans."

I growled and pinned him to his fighter again.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked firmly, "speak dammit!"

Bertram laughed. I ejected my hidden blade again.

"Why weaken our numbers! If you didn't intend to wipe out the Assassins here in England, then why? Why weaken them!?" I demanded.

"The grandmaster… Didn't intend for us to wipe them out," he said, "he just wanted your defenses weakened enough… to make way… for someone else to obtain the piece to the tracer."

"WHO!?" I screamed.

Bertram looked at me and gave me a bloody smile.

"…Eberhart," he said.

My jaw dropped. The Templar Field Marshall, I should've known.

"PIERDOLIĆ (FUCK)!" I screamed as I stabbed Bertram in the neck.

Bertram let out a gurgled laugh as I pulled my hidden blade out, slowly sliding down to the ground with a soft thud… dead. I raced back to my fighter, hopping inside and racing back to Cambridge as fast as I could. As I flew through the air, I could see that the bulk of Bertram's forces were in full retreat, seeing's that their commanding officer was killed… slain by me.


	30. Chapter 29: Something to remember

Chapter 29

Something to remember

 _"Please don't be too late, please don't be too late,"_ I thought as I made my way to Cambridge.

But alas… I really was too late. Cambridge… was a mess, as I made my way to the cloaked airfield and landed, I was quick to jump out of my fighter and make my way to the nearest Assassin, who was leaning next to a tree clutching his chest.

"What happened?" I asked.

The Assassin just pointed out into the distance, when I looked, my eyes went wide.

"GÓWNO (SHIT)!" I shouted.

I grabbed the Assassin and the two of us dropped to the ground as a small volley of bullets flew right over our heads. I looked up and pulled the Assassin to his feet, bringing the two of us over the fence as the shooters continued to fire on us. I peeked up from behind cover to find out who was shooting at us. They were Templars… but they weren't the kind I was familiar with, these guys were different, they looked tougher… more dangerous, and the weapons they carried MP-40s or KAR 98Ks; but StG .44s.

"Regular Templar Infantry don't usually go into battle, packing that much heat," I said.

"Those Templars aren't infantry class," said the Assassin, "they serve under the command of Bruno Eberhart, a vicious and powerful Templar officer."

I ducked down as the Templar soldiers fired a few more shots at me. So those men serve under the command of the Field Marshall… judging by the amount of damage, I honestly couldn't tell if it was done by them or any possible Templar pilots who did a quick run through Cambridge, strafing and bombing the whole area. Either way, I didn't have time to process how this happened, as I saw a military truck pull up to the group of soldiers and out of the truck came another Templar… no… The Field Marshall!

 _"That's him!?"_ I thought in disbelief.

I couldn't believe it when I saw him, Bruno was a tall, well-built man who looked well into his mid to late forties, he wore the traditional German Officer's coat with the Templar band around his arm as well as the ring on his right hand. He bore a couple of scars on his face, I'm guessing from a grenade explosion, and finally he was wielding a rather nasty looking sword. Not a Field Marshall sword or an officer's sword, but a real Knight's Templar sword. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Templar blood runs in his veins.

"Hey!" I yelled as I jumped out from behind cover.

Bruno turned and looked to see me reaching for one of my sidearms. As I started making my way towards him, I saw him snap his fingers and three of his men moved in front of him, each one carrying and StG .44 in their hands.

"Uh-oh," I said.

They fired. I jumped back behind cover and got ready to jump to my feet when I saw one of Bruno's soldiers hand him something.

 _"That is a ZB-26 light machinegun,"_ I thought.

Bruno fired on me, I ducked behind cover again, going down to the ground and letting out a gasp; the Assassin that I just saved didn't drop to the ground in time like I did and was shot up by Bruno's weapon. It didn't take long for the firing to stop and I jumped to my feet just in time to see one of the Templars walk into the truck… with a piece to the Tracer!

 _"NO!"_ I thought as I got ready to fire.

"Hey Mischlings (Hey half-breed)!" someone called out.

Before I had time to turn, I dropped to the ground again as more of Bruno's men came over, spraying a storm of bullets my way. I didn't even have time to move out from behind my cover before these chumps came along.

"Surround ihr! Schneiden Sie sie ab (Surround her! Cut her off)!" one of them barked.

I cursed, I was in a bit of a fix now, if they're going to try and cut me off… No, I've been in fixes before and I've escaped unharmed… for the most part, I can escape-

"Granate (Grenade out)!"

 _"Crap,"_ I thought.

I saw a stick grenade land by my feet, I quickly reached forward and tossed it back, when I heard the Templars start freaking out, I drew both of my Colts and activated my Eagle Vision. I turned and saw how many were coming at me: A team of twelve.

 _"And I have twenty-four shots altogether from my sidearms,"_ I thought as I jumped to my feet.

The grenade went off, causing four of the Templars to scatter, I started squeezing off shots, shooting three in their chest, getting two headshots, and wounding four more, one of them being the Templar that was thrown to the ground from the grenade. I holstered my Colts and prepared to draw my Karabela; but I forgot that I handed them to Ronald… as well as my Springfield.

 _"Looks like it's just going to be my Dirk,"_ I thought as I drew my weapon.

I charged at the closest Templar and stabbed him right in the stomach, turning him around and using him as a shield as one of his friends started to fire on me. Without even hesitating, I sheathed my Dirk, drew my main hand Colt and fired, hitting the Templar in the chest and dropping him to the ground dead. As I tossed my "shield", I turned and blocked and oncoming knife attack from another Templar soldier.

"Bad move," I said.

I wrapped my arm around my opponent's knife arm and punched him four times, three hits to his face and another in his stomach, causing him to become disoriented. Using the opening I gave myself, my right hidden blade shot out and I buried it in the Templar's stomach, a pained grunt came out as the cold steel penetrated him before I pulled it out.

"Halten Sie es genau dort, gör (Hold it right there, brat)," said a voice.

I heard a gun being cocked right behind my head. I let the dead Templar fall to the ground.

"Hebt die Hände in die Luft (Put your hands in the air)," ordered the voice.

It was another Templar. I smiled.

"Okay…" I said as my hands slowly went up, "aber nur, weil Sie _gefragt_ (but only because you _asked_ )!"

In a flash, I brought my elbow back and struck the Templar right in the nose, causing a satisfying _crack_ to be heard. The Templar let out a yelp and stumbled back, covering his face as blood started to drip out and onto the ground, without even hesitating, I lashed out punching him in the ribs twice, and kicking him in the side of the leg, causing another satisfying crack to be heard as his patella was knocked out of place. The Templar went down, letting out a pained scream before I kicked him right in the jaw, knocking him down to the ground.

 ** _"Behind you!"_**

In a flash, I turned and dodged another knife attack, punching the Templar in the stomach, face, and slicing his neck open with my hidden blade, causing him to fall over and start bleeding out. I turned my attention to the five other remaining Templars, who looked like they were ready to engage me all at once. I drew my Dirk and twirled it in my hand.

"Come on," I said.

To my surprise, they all charged at me, I raised an eyebrow, seeing's how they all had their StG .44s in hand and not their combat knives. The first Templar tried to bring his weapon up, in an attempt to try and hit me in the face with the butt of his rifle, but I side-stepped to the right and stabbed him in the back of the neck with my Dirk. The second Templar came at me and tried to hit me with the butt of his rifle like his friend, but I swapped my Dirk to my left hand, caught his weapon, stabbed him in the ribs and stabbed him again in the neck. Blood spilled out as I removed my weapon and the Templar dropped to the ground dead.

"Next," I said.

The third and fourth Templar came next, I blocked the first rifle hit, kicked the fourth Templar right in his testicles, and stabbed his buddy in the side of the neck, causing him to drop dead. I then took my Dirk and stabbed the fourth Templar in the skull, killing him dead.

And finally, the last Templar, who was one of the two that I wounded; and was actually playing smart, was about to fire on me.

"Oh nein, du nicht (Oh no, you don't)," I said.

The Templar fired, I used the fourth Templar's body as a shield to block the rounds, while I sheathed my Dirk, drew my Colt and fired, killing him dead. I tossed my "shield" and looked around at the mess, a satisfying smile etched across my face.

"To było zaspokojenie (That was satisfying)," I said.

By the time the evening rolled around, everyone had returned to… what remained of the compound. Everyone was devastated, especially Ronald… turns out the guy wasn't just an Assassin, he was the commanding officer of all of these guys here… kind of like the second-in-command to Richard Church, the grandmaster of this brotherhood.

"What… What happened?" asked Oberon.

"Bruno Eberhart," I said.

Oberon's face turned pale… deathly pale, it was almost unnerving.

"You've heard of him?" I asked.

Oberon slowly nodded.

"He's a… particularly vicious Templar in the grandmaster's circle," he said, "he's one of those Field Marshall's that likes to know his enemies… likes to have his men learn from their mistakes so they don't repeat them twice in the future."

"Oh," I said.

"His tactics are damn-near flawless, always likes to assess the mission he's assigned and know how to execute it," said Oberon, "word is that he's the only Templar in the circle who's had the least number of casualties."

"Oh…" I said.

"And let's not forget about the number of Assassin's he's slain," said Oberon.

"Okay I get it, I get it!" I snapped as I waved my hands, signaling him to stop.

"That bastard was obviously smart enough to go and swipe the piece to the tracer while we were busy with the battle," said Ronald, "the good thing is that the Assassins are in possession of two and they're in possession of one."

"That means there's only six pieces left to look for," I said, "but… there's no telling where they could all be."

Ronald put a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry too much about the pieces right now, kiddo," he said, "sure the Templars managed to snag one of them from us… but it's not the end of the world."

"Ronald's right, we scored a pretty big victory with the death of the Templar's Triple Ace," said Oberon, "and it's all thanks to you."

I blushed and giggled.

"It wasn't all me," I said, "you had a hand in helping me take him down after all."

Oberon blushed.

"Um… Well, that's true but… It's not like I had a really _big_ hand in helping you," he said as he scratched the back of his head, "all I did was distract him long enough for you to shoot the skurwiel (fucker) down."

I stepped closer to Oberon, which caused him to start blushing even more.

"Sie wirken nicht so nervös, wenn ein Mädchen ein Kompliment großer Junge gibt (Don't act so flustered when a girl gives you a compliment big boy)," I said with a giggle, "du bist ein Templar ... handeln, wie es (you're a Templar... act like it)."

I kissed Oberon on the cheek, he blushed way more than before.

"Uh… right," said Ronald, "ahem, in any case… You have… You have more than proven your worth in our fight against Hitler's forces and your former brothers Oberon. You are more than welcome into our brotherhood."

Oberon smiled and gave Ronald a big, firm handshake.

"Thank you," he said, "thank you for this."

Oberon then turned to me.

"And thank you Ari," he said as he gave me a hug, "for giving me this chance."

I smiled and hugged him back.

"I told you… You're different from the rest of your brothers," I said, "you didn't give me a reason to kill you while we were working together."

Oberon looked at me as he pulled away.

"Well thank you," he said.

I turned towards Ronald.

"I'll give my report to my superiors, let them know what's happened," I said.

"That's fine," Ronald said with a nod, "but before you go… perhaps you'd like to stay for the night. I mean… Your plane does need to get finished with its upgrades and it does need to get refueled does it not?"

"Well… Yeah I guess-"

"Plus… there may be a possible celebration for you since you struck down Klaus," said Ronald.

He wasn't lying either, by the time the evening was around, there was a celebration held for me striking down the lethal Triple Ace. We toasted to our fallen brothers, wishing them peace as they entered the afterlife, and we also toasted to Oberon, who was now dressed in a set Assassin robes, signifying his new allegiance into our brotherhood.

Now… I know what you're thinking, and the answer is _no_ , I did not have any alcohol. I mean shit, I know I'm an Assassin and it was a celebration; but it's not like I would go out of my way to actually guzzle down one glass of ale after another just to have a good time.

I will say that it didn't help that I was pressured by a couple of other Assassins who were a little older than me, that tempted me to join them in a couple of drinking contests. I told them no of course, and instead I just mingled among everyone, after that I kind of stepped outside and looked up at the night sky by myself, gingerly sipping my glass of sparkling cider.

"I thought I'd find you out here," said a voice.

I turned and saw Oberon make his way over to me, with his glass in hand.

"Don't worry… I'm not drunk," he said, "I only had two drinks."

I giggled.

"You sure it was just two drinks?" I asked, "because usually whenever a man says they've had "two drinks", that usually means that they really had about five."

Oberon gave me a smirk and playfully shoved me.

"Klugscheißer (Smartass)," he said.

I laughed.

"So… You really have to go back to your brothers in Poland?" he asked.

"Yes… I can't stay here in England forever, I always have to report back to the den once my mission is completed," I said, "standard protocol you know."

"They don't want to risk you getting captured by the enemy while in a foreign country or something?" asked Oberon.

I nodded.

"Ah," he said.

The two of us stood next to each other in silence, just staring up at the sky for a good one to two minutes. It seemed strange… When you're someone like me, who just got finished participating in a big battle like today… you almost _hate_ the quiet.

"It's almost uneasy right?" asked Oberon.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"The silence, it's almost uneasy," he said, "it's like a bad feeling is hanging over everyone… Well, not so much as a "bad" feeling; but more like an… uneasy feeling… Like you don't know if the enemy might plan some late night bombings."

"…Yeah," I said, nodding in agreement, "I know what you mean… Oberon?"

"Hmm?" he asked as he turned to me.

"Do you think… Your wife will take you back?" I asked, "you know… when the war is over?"

Oberon paused and looked down, sipping his drink from his glass.

"I honestly can't say for certain," he said, "if she takes me back… Then I guess me siding with the Assassin's was showing God that I'm on my way to redeeming myself for my mistakes."

I watched Oberon tighten the grip on his glass a little.

"But if she doesn't… If she can't look at me the same way again… If she curses me for being the monster that I am," he said, "…then that's fine… I deserve it."

I turned and looked at Oberon, reaching out and taking him by the hand. Oberon looked at me.

"I don't think your wife would be that angry with you for what you've done," I said, "if anything, I'm sure that she's scared… scared and worried that the man she loves will come back mentally changed."

I smiled at Oberon.

"These Templars… Hitler… They have their ways of brainwashing poor souls into their puppets, feeding them lies that have been made to come off as the truth. It's only ever so rare that I find individuals like yourself who do not allow themselves to become absorbed into their so-called "perfect society"," I said, "individuals who actually stay true to who they really are through and through. Even when they're told to do such horrible, unforgivable things, they still remain who they are until the very end."

Oberon blushed as I poked him right in his chest.

"I'm sure your wife knows that you're still in there," she said, "she knows that you're still in there, but you're only suffering. I'm sure that when she sees you come through that door, she'll run to you and give you the biggest hug you've ever received."

Oberon smiled at me.

"You didn't tell me you were a marriage therapist," he said.

"I'm not," I said, "you just know the right words to say when you're an Assassin."

Oberon chuckled.

"Plus… When you're someone who usually spends time alone… You become very observant on how people move, talk, and react to things," I said as I started to blush, "however… when you're someone who usually spends time alone… You tend to feel a little awkward at these kind of things… These celebrations."

Oberon tilted my head up, so I was looking at him right in his eyes.

"Well… if you say you tend to spend time by yourself… why not spend tonight with just the one person you feel comfortable with and not having to worry about being around so many people?" he asked with a smile.

I turned even more red.

"Oberon… Are… Are you asking me to come to bed with you?" I asked.

"No one said anything about taking you to bed, I was just simply asking a normal question," he said with a chuckle, "I mean… This is going to be your last night here in England after all, I just thought you'd want a little something, something to remember me by."

I cocked my head to the left and raised an eyebrow.

"No sex?" I asked.

Oberon shook his head.

"We can just talk and cuddle if you want," he said.

I let out a sigh and smiled.

"Well… cuddling's fine," I said.

And thus, Oberon and I drove to a nearby hotel, where we checked into a room and… well, we cuddled on the bed. He moved close to me, his arms wrapped around my torso as he pulled me in close to his body. I immediately felt myself start to relax as he and I nuzzled noses, I smiled and giggled, blushing with embarrassment as I pulled away slightly.

"What?" he asked.

"It tickles when you breathe on me through your nose," I said.

Oberon smirked.

"Oh, so you mean it tickles when I breathe on you through my nose like this?" he asked as he got closer.

I felt the air hit my lips, I let out a squeak.

"Stop that," I said with a giggle.

"Stop what?" he asked as he got closer, aiming his nose at my neck.

"Ahh! Stop that," I said as I pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I'm going to need clarification," he said as he kept breathing on me.

I squealed.

"Ahh! Oberon stop it!" I shrieked with a giggled, "stop breathing on me!"

Oberon stopped.

"Okay," he said.

As I laid on the bed, breathing heavily, Oberon leaned in and started… blowing on my neck!?

"AHH! OBERON, NO! THAT'S EVEN WORSE!" I shrieked.

"Well, you didn't want me to breath on you so I figured, I'd blow on you like a birthday candle," he said with a chuckle as he blew on my neck again. I tried to get up, but he pinned me to the bed and kept blowing on me.

"AHH! STOP IT I CAN'T TAKE IT!" I shrieked as I started squirming.

"Say it," he said as he kept blowing.

"NEHEHEHEHEHEVER!" I shrieked with a laugh.

"Say it," he said as he started blowing on my face.

I let out another squeal.

"Say it and I'll stop," Oberon said with a laugh.

He kept blowing on my face, I couldn't take it anymore, either I said it or he was going to keep blowing on me until I pissed myself… it was all I could do except swallow my pride and say it.

"BARMHERZIGKEIT! BARMHERZIGKEIT (MERCY! MERCY)!" I screamed.

Oberon stopped and let go of me, letting me lie down on the bed, panting heavily as I tried to catch my breath. I shot a glare at him.

"Du Depp (You jerk)," I said flatly.

"Aw, you know you were enjoying it," Oberon said as he leaned back and smiled at me.

I smirked and brought my right leg up fast, hitting Oberon right between the legs. Oberon's eyes snapped wide open as he let out a pained grunt before falling over on the side, clutching the "Family Jewels".

"I deserved that," he said.

After about a minute or two… three at the most, Oberon and I went back to cuddling each other.

"You know… Oberon… I've been thinking…" I started to say, "…actually never mind."

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said as I turned away.

"What? What is it?" he asked.

I let out a sigh.

"If… If things don't work out… Between you and your wife when you get back home from the war," I said, "I was thinking… Maybe-"

"Ari," he said.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"I thought we agreed not to take this relationship that far," he said with a cocky smile.

I felt my cheeks heat up a little.

"Uh… right… forgot," I said with embarrassment as I turned away.

I let out a sad sigh, only to blush when Oberon pulled me into his embrace again.

"But… I may consider," he said happily.

I let out a playful squeak as he leaned forward and started nibbling on my ear.

 _"Well, he did say 'may' so that's good enough for me,"_ I thought with a giggle.


	31. Chapter 30: Forbidden attachments

Chapter 30

Forbidden attachments

July 29th, I left England with a light heart and a smile on my face, though the battle for Britain was far from over, what's most important is that without Bertram leading his forces, his division has been severely crippled. Even with his division commanders still kicking, it won't be long before the Templar's air force is destroyed.

Oberon was happy enough to provide us with the information needed on some of Bertram's outposts and strategic airbases, he said that he knew a view people in Bertram's division who would be more than happy to help with our cause as well. Needless to say, things were starting to look pretty good for our brothers in Britain, especially since we lost so many of our own.

Ronald said that as a reward for shooting down Bertram, he had his engineers take apart what was left of his fighter and slap it all on mine, which meant my craft was now much stronger than before. Ronald also wanted to offer me a sword as a reward for my efforts in helping them out during my stay; but I respectfully declined, saying that my Karabela and Dirk were the only weapons I wanted and needed whenever I went into battle.

After my return home, I immediately went to Jasper to report what had happened during my stay. He told me that while we did lose a piece to the Tracer, it wasn't a total loss, adding that we had gotten a piece from our brothers in Włochy (Italy). I smiled, hearing this news from him, it's always good to know that the rest of our brothers are looking out for us during these troubled times.

August 30, Germany and Italy had arbitrated a decision on the division of the disputed province of Transylvania between Romania and Hungary. Because of this, the loss of northern Transylvania had forced the Romanian King, Carol to abdicate in favor of his son, Michael, resulting in a dictatorship under General Ion Antonescu. The news of this is enough to almost make me want to punch a hole in the wall, Romania was the home of my relatives, now it's come under the control of Germany and her allies, it also means the Templars now have more freedom to move around Europe and look for the next piece to the Tracer.

September 13, the Italians had invaded British-controlled Egypt from their territory in Libya. Which means that our brothers are going to have a much tougher time trying to maintain peace for these good people.

September 27, Germany, Italy, and Japan had signed the Tripartite Pact, word is that they've also signed the Resolution pact with the three Templar Grandmasters of each country, Elldrich Anton, Akihiko Kazuhiko, and Enrica Tadaaki.

Funny thing about the last grandmaster I named off, I heard that she's supposedly the descendant of a notable Templar agent of the 1920s during the mafia era. I never asked who though; but word is that she's said to have some really powerful connections in the Templar Order _and_ within The Axis Powers. And if these rumors are true, that means she must be a very powerful asset for Benito.

October 28, Italy had invaded Greece from Albania. You're all probably wondering why I'm telling you all of this, well… ever since I came home from Britain, things have been rather… quiet for me. The grandmaster didn't have any assignments for me, and there weren't any high profile targets for me to take down, so these days I've just lounging around like the lizard that I was.

…Still, even during my lounge time, I often think about Oberon, and how he's been adjusting to his life as an Assassin. However, whenever the thought of him enters my mind… I start to feel my heart beat faster; and whenever my heart beats faster, I start getting worried for him, I wonder if he'll make it to his family in one piece. I wonder if his former brothers will hunt him down and capture him, take him to their grandmaster and have him be tried for his crimes… or even worse…

 _"Ari, stop, stop, stop!"_ I scold myself as I slap my face, _"Oberon will do fine… He has people who'll back him up if he gets caught in a situation he can't get himself out of."_

I turn and fall over on my left side on my bed, letting out a sigh.

 _"Besides… You can't allow yourself to think like that, sure you had sex with a guy for the first time… but it was just one time,"_ I thought, _"plus, you even told him to not take the relationship that far."_

I roll onto my back and look up at the ceiling, letting out another sigh as I look up at the ceiling.

 _"Still… It would've been nice to have someone special in my life,"_ I thought, _"someone who I could love… care for… someone who'd be willing to accept someone like me who's… seen the horrors this world has hidden from the eyes of the innocent. Someone who could… could…"_

I let my mind drift off as I feel my heart start to become heavy. Who the hell am I kidding? No guy would want someone like me. I've seen and done things in this war that'll haunt me until the day I die… all of those men I've killed… I've damn near lost how many had fallen to my blade, how many had been gunned down by me, how many had been shot down while I was in the sky.

 _"My hands are stained with so much blood,"_ I thought, _"there's no telling how long it would take for me to wash them off."_

Just then, there's a knock on the door that makes me turn my head.

"Come in," I said.

The door opens. I sit up.

"Jake," I said.

"Hey kiddo," he said as he walked over to me, "you're not busy are you?"

I shook my head.

"Uh… No, why?" I asked.

Jake says nothing and closes the door behind him, he takes off his jacket and hangs it up on the rack by the door before making his way towards me. Now let me inform you all, that I am only in a pair of shorts and a plain white t-shirt so… You can imagine how flustered I look right now as Jake approached and sat down right next to me.

"U-U-Um… Jake?" I asked nervously, "w-w-what are you doing?"

"Relax," he said as he laid right next to me, "what am I not allowed to just lay next to my former soldier?"

I didn't say anything… I didn't _want_ to say anything… I just looked at Jake, my mind started racing as I looked at him. Jake turned and looked at me, my heart felt like it was trying to tear its way out of my chest.

"Come lay with me," he said.

"Uh, what?" I asked.

"Come lay with me," he repeated.

I saw Jake pat a spot right next to him with his hand, giving me a small smile, not wanting to give him a reason to get pissed and yell at me, I crawled over and laid next to him. Jake wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close to his body… his heat… it was so… so soothing. I laid my head on his chest and let out a soft sigh, nuzzling up against him.

"So… You've come a long way since you haven't served under my command," said Jake.

I looked up at Jake as he started to stroke my hair.

"The only reason why I haven't served under your command is because of that incident in Turk-"

"Ari," Jake interrupted, "I wasn't going to insult and berate you. I was giving you a compliment."

I looked down as he kept stroking my hair.

"I meant what I said too Ari," said Jake, "you really have come a long way. When I first met you, I saw you as just a young girl who hand managed to evade capture from the enemy. Then I saw you as a broken individual when you joined the Assassins Brotherhood… who let rage, anger, and sadness guide their actions when in battle."

 _"What happened to 'I wasn't going to insult of berate you'?"_ I thought.

"I had always thought it was you… I had always thought that you were the reason for what had happened," said Jake, "but… after giving it some thought… I guess placing the full blame on you was kind of… kind of…"

"Dick ruch (A dick move)?" I asked with a smirk.

Jake sighed.

"Uh… yeah," he said, "look, what I'm trying to say was… I might've been a little too soft on you when you were serving under my command. I should've been a lot firmer… more commanding."

I giggled.

"What?" he asked.

"What you really should've done was put me in the infirmary so I could recover from the traumatic shock after what had happened to me," I said, "I mean come on, being firmer to someone like me, who just underwent something as terrifying as seeing her own sister get taken by Templars? I don't think that would be good for my psyche Jake."

Jake gave me a playful knock on the head.

"Don't mischaracterize me with that last sentence," he said.

"I wasn't mischaracterizing, I was just merely stating facts," I said with another giggle.

Jake sighed.

"Whatever," he said as he prepared to get up.

"J-Jake, wait," I said as I grabbed him.

"What?" he asked.

"C-Can you stay with me?" I asked.

Jake raised an eyebrow.

"Stay… With you?" he asked.

I nodded. I don't know what brought me to beg for him to stay, maybe it was because I wanted to get my mind off of Oberon, maybe because after spending the night with one guy I didn't want to feel alone at night anymore.

"Why?" he asked.

"I just want you to," I said, "please?"

Jake sighed.

"Ari…" he started to say.

"Please?" I begged.

Jake sighed.

"Alright," he said, "can I at least go get changed and come on back?"

I smiled and nodded. Jake got up and left, he soon returned about ten minutes later, wearing a tank top, a pair of pants and… he had a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Uh…" I started to say as I pointed at the bag.

"My gear's in here," he said as he set it by my closet.

"Oh," I said.

"As well as a change of clothes," he said, "and… a few other things."

I turned red.

"J-J-Jake, I-I only asked if you could stay n-n-not… N-Not…" I stammered.

"Not what?" he asked as he made his way over to my bed.

"Not... uh, not," I said.

"What?" he asked as he pulled the covers back.

I started panicking.

 _"What are you doing you idiot!? Calm down! What you let a man stick their rod up your ass and all of the sudden you get flustered the moment one climbs into your bed!?"_ I scolded myself, _"you're an Assassin! Not a damn whore!"_

"Ari?" asked Jake.

I snapped out of my daze, shaking my head rapidly and looking at Jake, who seemed rather confused.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Uh… Y-Y-Yeah," I said innocently.

Jake raised an eyebrow and started to smirk.

"Ari… Have you ever had a guy sleepover before?" he asked.

"Uh…" I started to say.

"Have you ever had a guy sleep in the same bed as you?" he asked.

"Uh… yyyyyyyes," I said.

Jake looked at me, a combination of surprise and seriousness formed on his face.

"Oh…" he said.

"Yeah… It was during my stay in England," I said, "it was… with a Templar-"

"What!?" exclaimed Jake.

Uh-oh, I had to recover fast.

"He was a traitor! He was a traitor!" I exclaimed as I gave him the "Wait! Time out!" gesture.

Jake started to calm down, but the look he gave me now…

"So… You're taken then?" he asked.

"What?" I asked.

"You let one man dip their bread stick in the ranch dressing and all of a sudden you feel like passing it around?" he asked, "is that it?"

That actually made my chest hurt.

"What? No, no, no, Jake I'm not taken," I said.

"So he just slept with you then?" he asked as he sat up.

My chest was starting to hurt more.

"Well… Okay yes, we had sex, but he didn't take me I'm still a virgin," I said.

"Then why did you really want to sleep with me?" asked Jake, "huh?"

"I told you, I just wanted you to," I said.

Jake frowned.

"That's not a reason," he said, "I said I wanted you to give me a reason why you wanted me to stay."

My chest felt like something inside was going to explode.

"That _is_ my reason," I said, frowning at Jake.

Jake gave me a look and then, without warning, he pounced, pinning me to the bed.

"J-J-Jake! What are you doing!?" I yelled, "get off of me!"

"Not until you get me a reason why you wanted me to stay, the night over here," he said firmly.

I struggled to break free, but with no avail, he was too strong.

"Argh! Let me go! Let me go or I'll scream!" I yelled.

Jake leaned in and glared at me.

"Make a sound and something bad will happen," he said in a venomous tone.

I turned pale.

"I've been in the brotherhood longer than you Ariela," he said, "I know a thing or two about getting information out of prisoners."

I started to get scared.

"J-J-Jake," I stammered, "y-y-you wouldn't…"

"Try me," he said.

I saw Jake reach into his pocket and pull something out… it looked like some kind of… boot lace. Why would Jake carry a boot lace in his pocket… unless of course…?

 _"Oh god,"_ I thought, _"he wouldn't."_

In a flash, I saw Jake pull my hands over my hand and bind my wrists together. I started bucking and thrashing.

"Jake! Jake you big jerk, let me out of this!" I screamed.

"Not until you tell me why you wanted me to stay the night with you," he said as he went over to my drawers and pulled out one of my socks.

I started to panic again. Jake wouldn't do what I think he's going to do right? Right? He wouldn't do it just to get me to talk… **_RIGHT!?_**

"J-J-Jake… W-W-What are you doing?" I asked as he walked over.

"We're going to play a little game Ari," he said as he looked down at my bare feet, "here's how this is going to work: I'm going to tickle you silly, if you don't throw me a bone, and tell me what I want to know. Capiché?"

"U-U-U-Uh J-J-Jake, i-i-isn't this a little… forceful?" I asked.

Just then, Jake put my sock in my mouth.

"Wrong answer kiddo," he said.

I watched as he sat down and pulled my right leg up onto his lap.

"MMMMMPH! MM-MM! MM-MM!" I yelled as I shook my head rapidly.

But Jake didn't listen, and before I knew it… It was as if a thousand feathers were attacking the underside of my foot.

" ** _MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPPPPPPHHHHHHHHHH! MM-MM! MM-MMMMMM! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!_** " I screamed as I started thrashing again.

"Cootchie coo," he said.

I arched my back, feeling Jake tickle my feet with a devilish smile on his face. The sensation running up my leg and spreading throughout my entire body. Tears started to well up in my face when he stopped and let me go, making his way up to my head and pulling the sock out of my mouth, letting me breathe more properly.

"Are you going to talk now?" he asked.

"You… You… You fucking psychopath," I said breathlessly.

"Ooo, harsh," said Jake, "are you ready to talk?"

"Not until you untie me," I said firmly.

Jake put the sock back in my mouth and went back to tickling me again, I bucked and thrashed again, trying to slither out of his grip and get away; but every time I tried to escape Jake would pull me back over to him.

"No, no, no," he said as he went back to tickling my foot, "you're going to take your torment."

" ** _MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPHHHH! MM-MMMMMM! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMHMHMHMMMMMMMMMPH!_** " I begged through my muffled cries.

Tears started to run down my face from the muffled laughing, my cheeks turned more and more red, my chest felt like it was on fire and worse… it felt like if Jake kept going, I was going to completely piss myself. When he stopped, Jake went over and pulled out the sock, which was damp from my spit.

"Had enough yet?" he asked.

"Dobra ... Dobra ... Porozmawiam (Okay… Okay… I'll talk)," I said breathlessly, "just… please… n-n-no more."

Jake smiled and leaned back, giving me a minute to catch my breath.

"After… After spending the night in bed with a guy… I guess… I guess I didn't want to lose that feeling," I said as I blushed, "I just… I just felt… I just felt safe for some reason. Like I had found the one thing that's been missing from my life after so long."

Jake cocked his head to the left.

"So what you're saying is… You didn't want to be alone," he said, "is that a fair assumption?"

I don't know what happened next, but before I knew it, I just started snapping at Jake.

"D-D-Don't be stupid!" I snapped, "i-i-it's uh… It's uh… That's not what I'm saying at all!"

Jake smirked and chuckled.

"Denial," he said.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"Denial is usually a sign that a girl actually wants to have a guy sleep with her whenever she says that she doesn't," said Jake.

I growled and started squirming.

"Mmf! Nng! Dammit, if my wrists weren't bound together, I'd slap you silly you twit!" I snarled.

Jake laughed.

"My, my, aren't we feeling fiery," he said, "am I hitting too many nerves Ari?"

I blushed again. What's wrong with me? Why am I getting so angry all of the sudden? I don't usually get angry unless if I'm in a tight spot and I can't get out… this… this was different.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" asked Jake.

I let out a huff and turned my head away.

"Can you just untie me now, please?" I asked as I started blushing.

"…Why?" asked Jake.

I looked at Jake like he was crazy.

"W-W-W- _WHY!?_ " I demanded, "did you seriously just ask me that!?"

Jake nodded.

"Yeah, why?" he asked with a cocky grin.

"B-B-Because… I don't like being tied up… I feel vulnerable," I said, feeling embarrassed.

Jake sighed.

"Fine… I'll untie you ya big baby," he said.

I let out a sigh of relief, seeing Jake's hands move up to my wrists so he could untie me.

"Um… Jake," I said slowly.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Are you… Are you upset that I slept with someone?" I asked.

Jake looked at me while he was in the middle of untying me.

"Upset? Why would I be upset?" he asked.

"Well it's just that… I thought… I thought that… I thought you would-"

Jake put a finger to my lips, silencing me.

"Ari… You make it sound like you and I are together," he said with a chuckle, "we're not together kiddo, I don't care who you sleep with."

I blushed as Jake pulled his finger away.

"That being said, I would've been disappointed if the fucker that you slept with took your virginity and ran off with it," he said as he got finished freeing me.

"Huh?" I asked, "why?"

Jake chuckled.

"Why? Ariela, look at yourself," he said, "you're a strong, smart, stoic, independent young woman. Any guy would _kill_ to have someone like you in their life. You shouldn't just let some guy take what's most precious to you and make off with it. What's that going to say about the next guy you meet? What's that going to say about yourself?"

I sat up as Jake started to run his fingers through my hair.

"Don't be so quick to want to give it away just because you got some guys stick shoved up your ass kiddo," he said with a laugh, "you're only given it once. Save it for someone that you love… Someone who'll care about you. Someone who'd be willing to fight by your side, someone who'd be willing to have your back, someone who'd…"

Jake's voice trailed off as he saw me wrap my hand around his own. It was at that moment though, that time seemed to just… slow down as Jake and I looked at each other, my deep blue eyes meeting his jade green eyes. My heart… It started beating fast… Like the same way it did when I was with Oberon.

Just then… I could see Jake leaning towards me, and I towards him. Our eyes started closing as our lips drew closer and closer, as we prepared to lock up with one another.

 _"No! Stop!"_ I thought.

I put a hand up in front of Jake, stopping him.

"What?" he asked with confusion.

"I can't," I said as I shook my head.

Jake frowned.

"It's not you Jake, I swear," I said, "it's just… It's just…"

Jake pat me on the head and went over to climb under the covers on the left side. I did the same. Jake and I killed the lights and got all tucked in, I rolled on my right side, looking down. Why didn't I kiss him? It couldn't have been because of Oberon could it? No way, we both agreed to not take our relationship that far, besides, the guy's married like he said. What kind of a girl would I be to actually sway someone like him into ditching his loving wife just so he could marry me?

Is it because I don't know how he would react? Is it because that I…

 _"Don't want to get so attatched to someone that I'll wind up losing them?"_ I thought sadly.

"Ari…" Jake's voice echoed through the darkness.

"Hmm? Yes?" I asked turning my head.

"I talked with Kenneth," he said.

I tensed up. Was I in trouble? I wasn't in trouble right?

"He told me how he's gathered a small team of Assassins to try and search for your sister," said Jake, "…he also told me that I was holding you back."

I'm in trouble.

"I hope you don't believe what he said…" said Jake, "I hope you know that I wasn't trying to hold you back from looking for your sister."

"Then… Why did you act like a total hardass?" I asked with a slightly firm tone.

Instead of a response, I let out a small, surprised gasp as Jake turned and pulled me into his arms, holding me in his embrace.

"…Because I didn't want to lose you dammit," he said sadly, "I didn't want you to do something reckless and wind up getting killed."

I blushed and looked down again. I felt awful, I shouldn't have said those things to Jake, he didn't deserve it whether if he was a hardass or not… still… No matter how you slice it, I guess you could say we're both to blame for what happened way back when, he should've been a lot more firmer with me and I shouldn't have… well, I shouldn't have been a bratty little suką (bitch).

"If you winded up killed because I didn't command you properly… I don't know what I would do," he said.

I felt my hand reach down and touch his, our fingers locking them in place.

"Jake… If things had gone differently… Would you have been willing to help me find her?" I asked slowly, "would you have been willing to help me find my sister?"

There was a moment of silence, before I heard his voice.

"…Yes," he said.

I felt Jake's body start to relax soon after he said that. He fell asleep. As I drifted off to sleep as well, I felt a smile stretch across my face. Jake might not have been my superior anymore; but… At least I know that there's no tension between the two of us now.


	32. Chapter 31: Eberhart's Wrath

Chapter 31

Eberhart's wrath

I slept soundly in bed, a soft coo escaped my lips as Jake gave me a light squeeze. He must've been having a good dream I bet. I believe it was at around 1 or 1:30AM when I woke up in the middle of the night and I had to go to the bathroom. I quietly crawled out of bed and made my way to my destination, turning around and seeing Jake lay flat on his back, letting out a long breath as he continued resting. I blushed and smiled, I don't know why; but seeing a boy sleeping in bed… in my bed… always seemed to make my heart flutter and make my stomach tingle.

I went into the bathroom and closed the door, so I could do my business, which took less than a minute, as I made my way back to my bed I heard a distinct knock on my door. I let out a groan.

 _"Who the hell is that?"_ I thought as I went to answer it.

I opened the door.

"Well somebody had better be dying," I said as I rubbed my eyes.

It was Kenneth.

"Sorry to wake you Ari, but we have a bit of a pro-"

Kenneth stopped talking as he looked over my shoulder, seeing Jake under my covers. He looked at me and raised an eyebrow as he pointed at him.

"Uh…" he said.

"Kenneth, don't freak out please," I said.

"…You do know that you're currently sleeping with… one of the captains… right?" he asked.

"Huh?" I asked as I turned and looked at Jake, "he's a what?"

"A captain," said Kenneth, "you understand that had anyone else saw this they'd think you were trying to owe him something-"

"What do you want Kenneth?" I asked, purposely cutting him off.

"Oh," he said.

Kenneth cleared his throat.

"There's an emergency, the grandmaster wants the officers to assemble a small interception team," said Kenneth, "and you were the second one I wanted to add."

"Interception team?" I asked.

Before Kenneth answered, I turned and saw Jake climb out of bed.

"Kenneth?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes, "what's going on?"

"Templars… They're in our territory," said Kenneth, "scouts report that they came in via by airdrop, by a Heinkel He 111."

Jake frowned.

"Paratroopers," he said.

Kenneth nodded.

"I'll get ready soon," said Jake.

Kenneth gave another nod and left. I closed the door and looked at Jake.

"Paratroopers?" I asked.

"Soldiers that are meant for a tactical advantage, so they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land," Jake said as he started getting geared up, "this air assault tactic allows these soldiers to enter the battlefield from any location evading emplaced fortifications that exist to prevent an attack from a specific direction."

I raised an eyebrow as I started to get dressed myself.

"Why do you say it like that?" I asked.

Jake threw on his vest.

"There's a select few members of the Templar military who can authorize the deployment of paratroopers," said Jake, "and there are those in the grandmaster's circle who can authorize the deployment of paratroopers as well. Now do you remember which Templar is a vicious strategist when it comes to the art of war?"

I pondered for a moment as I put my robes on, then I stopped as I reached for my hidden blades.

"…No," I said.

"Yep… Bruno Eberhart," said Jake, "now from what I understand, he usually never deploys his troopers to a cold zone unless if he had a reason…"

I felt my heart skip for a moment. In the Assassin tongue, "cold zones" are basically another word for non-conflicted areas, in other words, areas where a battle isn't taking place.

"Ariela… You wouldn't happen to know what became of _The Hearth_ would you?" asked Jake.

My heart sank.

"Uh-oh," I said.

"Ari?" asked Jake, "what's wrong?"

I scratched my head as I put my hidden blades on.

"Uh… Oberon and I uh…" I said with a sheepish grin, "we kind of sank it."

Jake whirled around and gave me a look of shock.

"YOU WHAT!?" he exclaimed.

"I needed supplies so I could upgrade my fighter, destroying it was just a bonus," I said innocently, "I didn't know that Bruno would send a death squad after me. I don't even know how he knew it was me in the first place."

Jake gave me a look as he pulled his hood over his head.

"You've started developing your reputation as a Templar Hunter Ari," he said, "who else would be bold enough to launch a raid on that carrier and send it to the bottom of Davey Jones's locker?"

I blushed, feeling embarrassed as I pulled my hood over my head in shame. Jake let out a sigh.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'm not mad… If anything I don't really know how to react after you just made a bold move like that."

Jake hooked his sword to his belt and shoved his Colt in its holster, then he strapped on his belt of knives and shook himself off. He turned and looked at me as I slung my Springfield over my shoulder.

"Ready?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded.

"Head out to the garage with the rest of the other Assassins then," he said, "I'll meet you there."

I gave Jake another nod, following him out of the room before the two of us went our separate ways, with me heading out to the garage as instructed, where the interception team had been assembled. Among the Assassins that had been assembled, there was one I recognized.

"Helena?" I asked.

Helena turned and smiled at me.

"So you were assigned to this team as well huh?" I asked as I walked over to her.

Helena nodded.

"It sucks too, my superior woke me up while I was in the middle of a dream… a very good dream I might add," she said.

I giggled.

"I know the feeling," I said, "did you hear what we're going to be facing?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Nervous?" I asked.

"Hard not to be," she said.

"I know right?" asked another Assassin.

"I agree," said another Assassin.

I turned to the sound of the other officers marching out of the base, along with the last member of the interception team, judging by his facial features, he looked Italian, roughly in his mid to late twenties. I would've gone into my detail; but he had immediately merged with the entire group.

"Alright everyone, head to the surface and fan out!" barked one of the Assassin officers.

I watched as the officers headed up first, with everyone else in toe, myself included. I followed everyone up the winding ramp and towards the entrance, leading to the outside, which was already being opened up by Jake and another Assassin officer.

"Helena, let's stick together, huh?" I asked as I nudged her.

"Stick together?" she asked, "why?"

"Just trust me, I have a lot of experience with night missions," I said, "I know a thing or two about… "striking from the shadows"."

Helena looked at me, then she looked at the entrance as everyone started fanning out and either headed into the brush or took to the trees. Helena then turned back towards me and smiled, giving me an affirmative nod and followed me out, the last thing the two of us heard and saw, was the sound of the doors to the base closing behind us, cutting off the only bit of light that we had in order to see.

Helena and I looked around, the two of us picking up the sound of our friends as they soon fell silent, entering "full stealth" mode. Helena and I turned towards each other, the cool October air blowing through the forest, sending a slight chill up my spine.

"Mask up," I whispered.

Helena nodded and pulled her mask up over her mouth and nose like I did.

"Ready?" I asked.

Helena nodded and followed me into the thicket. The two of us moved under the cover of darkness, with me leading the way thanks to my Eagle Vision, up above us, I could make out a few of our brothers as they leapt and sung from branch to branch with relative ease. I giggled in amusement as the sight reminded me of a bunch of monkeys swinging through the forest.

"Ari?"

I let out a soft gasp.

"Jake?" I whispered.

"Yeah, it's me," he whispered through my communicator, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, I have Helena with me right now," I whispered.

"Alright good," whispered Jake, "listen, I just got finished conferring with one of the officers, there's at least a good fifty or so paratroopers in the forest. They haven't found the entrance to the base and they don't know we're out here so we have the home field advantage."

 _"I sense a "however","_ I thought.

"However, that doesn't mean you should go on a shooting spree," whispered Jake.

 _"Called it,"_ I thought as I rolled my eyes.

"Quick, quiet kills only," whispered Jake, "absolutely no guns or explosives, is that understood?"

"Yes sir," I whispered.

I cut the transmission.

"Who was that?" asked Helena.

"Fifty paratroopers, quick and quiet kills," I said, "lethal force not authorized."

Helena frowned.

"Damn, I wanted to shoot one," she said.

I giggled.

"Well… Unless if you have a silenced pistol strapped on you, that won't happen," I said, "let's go."

Helena continued moving through the woods, keeping mind not to make any noise. With my Eagle Vision still active, I managed to make out some suitable targets. I threw my hand up, signaling Helena to stop.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Paratroopers, three of them, a few meters ahead," I said.

"Weapons?" asked Helena.

"MKB 42s by the look of their firearms," I said.

"Plan of attack?" asked Helena.

I pondered and looked up.

"I'll take to the trees, when I give the signal, get the third one in the back," I said as I started climbing.

I climbed up the tree and started making my way out onto the branch, making sure to keep my balance so I wouldn't fall. My Eagle Vision deactivated, as I saw the paratroopers make their way towards me.

"Negative Kapitän, haben wir die Assassins noch nicht gesehen (Negative captain, we haven't seen the Assassins yet)," said the first paratrooper.

I ejected my hidden blades and dropped down on the first two paratroopers that were taking point, stabbing them both dead. The third paratrooper, who was shocked and wondering what to do, was unprepared for Helena as she jumped out of the foliage and drove her hidden blade into his chest as she took him down. I smiled, motioning for her to help me hide the bodies, together thw two of us tossed them in the dense foliage, to keep the area clean.

"Let's go," I said to Helena.

"Right," she said.

Helena and I kept moving through the forest, all around us, I picked up the faint sounds of numerous paratroopers falling to my brother's blades as the dropped down, on them from above, jumped out from the shadows, or resorted to the "silent kill" tactic by using their throwing knives. Time seemed to go by slowly as we quietly dispatched each paratrooper one by one, each Templar feeling the sting of cold steel penetrate their body; and all the while, Helena and I seemed to get our "take down sync" down pat. In fact, we started to have fun with our take downs.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Let's do it," she said.

I jumped out of the shadows first, jumping and bringing the first paratrooper down with a clothes line. The other three turned around fast, completely stunned by what had happened. Before either of them could react, Helena jumped out of the shadows, stabbing the second paratrooper in the back of the neck with her hidden blade before jumping towards the third and stabbing him in the neck with her other hidden blade, killing them both.

As I stabbed the first paratrooper in the chest, I rose to my feet and threw a knife at his head, bringing him down. Helena looked at each other and hi-fived.

"That was awesome," I said.

"Fuck yeah," said Helena.

Just then, I turned around fast, hearing the sound of boots pounding against the dirt. I motioned for Helena to hide, I jumped into the foliage as well and turned around, watching as another squad came by. I activated my Eagle Vision and gasped, seeing a gold glowing target among four red targets.

 _"An officer!"_ I thought.

"Es gibt Assassine ist hier, die Beweise sind eindeutig (There's Assassin's here, the evidence is clear)," said the officer, "jeder Fan aus, jagen sie nieder. Wenn Sie ein zu fangen, töten 'em (everyone fan out, hunt them down. If you catch one, kill 'em)."

The paratroopers broke off, spreading out and moving through the foliage as they started to look for Helena and I. I giggled as the first paratrooper was nearing my position, moving silently, I stepped out of his way as he scanned the area, trying to catch sight of me. As soon as he had his back turned to me, I jumped up and grabbed him from behind, pulling him down and driving my hidden blade in his stomach before he got a word out.

I turned and saw the fourth paratrooper make his way over to me this time. I ducked down as low as possible, making sure he didn't catch any sight of me.

"Komm raus, komm raus, wo immer du (Come out, come out, wherever you)-"

But the paratrooper was cut off as I jumped up and stabbed him in the heart before ducking back down. The paratrooper stood in place for a moment before falling over with a dull thud. I turned and saw the officer look over in my direction. He pulled out his side arm and walked over to investigate, I smiled and kept low, waiting for my prey to come in close.

"Sie können nicht von mir verstecken Assassine (You can't hide from me Assassin)," he said.

I looked down, seeing the officer's right foot enter my field of vision, without hesitating, I ejected my right hidden blade and stabbed the man in his foot, causing him to drop to the ground. I rose to my feet and pulled him out into the open, whistling for Helena as well, letting her know it was all clear. Helena climbed out of the foliage and walked over to me and my new 'friend'.

"So, I take it you guys were sent here to kill me… yes?" I asked, "you were sent here to kill me for what I did to _The Hearth_."

The paratrooper officer looked at me and scoffed.

"Why should I tell you anything?" asked the officer, "I've heard about you Assassin, you'll kill a Templar whether you get the information or not."

"Actually… If you don't tell me… I'll have one of my superiors interrogate you," I said as I knelt beside the man, "and I don't think you want that."

The officer shivered and started to shift uncomfortably.

"Now… You guys were sent to kill me yes?" I asked.

The officer nodded slowly.

"I thought so… Now, where did you recently get deployed from," I asked as I pulled out my Colt, "and please don't lie to me… liars really… _really_ piss me off."

The officer started to shiver, as I pressed the barrel of my weapon up under his chin, my finger slowly wrapped itself around the trigger.

"Oh… And you also have five seconds," I said, "five…"

"There's an airfield near here!" he cried out.

"What?" I asked.

"An airfield, there's an airfield not too far from this location, that's how we managed to get here so fast," said the officer, "the airfield is mainly used for deploying paratroopers and recon planes throughout the whole area so we can catch any possible escaped prisoners from our camps."

My eyes widened. Escaped prisoners? People have been managing to escape those hellish places they call prisons?

"Didn't I tell you not to lie to me?" I asked as I pulled back on the hammer.

"IT'S TRUE! IT'S TRUE!" the officer cried out, "orders from the grandmaster, who relayed it to the Field Marshall as well as the commander. They wanted firm control over all of Europe so that it would start to put a strain on you Assassins."

"Is that so?" asked a voice.

I pulled my Colt away from the paratrooper and turned, to see Jake as well as a few other Assassins approaching. I jumped to my feet.

"Jake…" I said as I holstered my weapon.

"Well done girls," he said with a smile, "how'd you know to capture one of the officers just in case they might've been holding important information?"

Helena and I looked at each other before we went back to looking at Jake.

"We didn't," I said, "I just wanted to know where he and his buddies came from."

"Regardless, he mentioned something about an airfield not too far from here," another officer said as he approached, "and if what he says is true, then we need to know what we can if we're to take it out."

With a snap of his fingers, I watched as the Assassins beside Jake, march over and pick the officer up off the ground, carrying him away. I looked over at Helena, who was giggling at the sound of him throwing a fit and trying to break free. The officer of course was following close by.

"Well… That was a pleasant exercise," said Jake, "but… I think some of the other Assassins are wanting to head back to bed."

Helena yawned.

"Yeah… I don't blame them," she said, "hey Ari… Can I bunk with you tonight?"

I whirled around at Helena, giving her a questioning look.

"Uh… What?" I asked, "why?"

"Come on, please?" asked Helena, "my room's a long way away."

"Oh… Uh… Wow… See, I'm kind of bunking with Jake tonight," I said.

For some reason, that made Helena puff up her cheeks and cross her arms. What was she so mad about?

"Hmph… I see… You'd rather bunk with some guy than to actually bunk with someone whom you now have a stable connection with," she said.

"Stable… connection?" I asked.

"She means her best friend," said Jake, "dork."

I winced, feeling Jake bonk me on the head.

"Ow…" I said.

"Ari… Why don't you bunk with Helena tonight? I'll bunk with you again another time," said Jake.

I felt my heart skip a beat.

" _WHAT!?_ " I exclaimed, "no way! No fucking way, Jake that's crazy!"

I moved up towards his ear.

"What if people get the wrong idea?" I whispered, "I don't want anyone to find out that I'm… Well… You know…"

"I heard that," said Helena.

I blushed and slowly turned, seeing Helena looking at me, with her arms still crossed.

"And might I add, I'm really surprised at you Ariela," said Helena.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked.

"You'd rather sleep alone or with a guy… Than share a bed with a girl?" asked Helena, "especially if it's for one night?"

I frowned.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Oh nothing," said Helena.

"No, don't say "Nothing" Helena," I said, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Nie bzdury mi Helena (Don't bullshit me Helena)," I said as I puffed up my cheeks.

"Alright," she said as she let out a breath, "you're a highly-trained Templar Hunter who's probably got hundreds of kills to her name… and you're afraid of sleeping with someone of the same sex…"

I don't know what happened after she said that; but next thing I knew, Helena and I winded up bunking together after everyone came back inside of the base.

"Huh, I guess all of the rooms really are the same," said Helena.

"I can't believe you did that to me," I said.

"Did what?" Helena asked as she started to get undressed.

"I can't believe you used reverse psychology on me," I said as I hung up my coat and started to get undressed as well.

"I can't believe that you still fall for that," Helena said with a giggle.

I grumbled as I put my shorts on and a plain t-shirt, Helena's sleepwear consisted of a pair of pants and a tank top. We both soon climbed under the covers and killed the lights. As I laid in bed, looking at the ceiling, I heard Helena ask me a question.

"Have any luck finding your sister?" she asked.

I sat up and turned my light on.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"Have any luck… finding your sister?" she repeated.

I gave Helena a hard stare.

"I'm being serious," said Helena.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Look… I know you're probably wondering why I'm even asking this, I know a question like this is… personal," she said, "but, I just want to know if you've had any luck… and how you're holding up."

I didn't know what to say, I just looked over at my door. Then… I started to feel a lump in my throat, my chest started to feel heavy and I started to slowly break down.

"Hey, hey, hey," said Helena.

I felt her pull me into her arms and hug me.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry," she said simply, "I shouldn't have asked."

I didn't say anything. I just wiped my eyes and sniffled.

"Hey… For what it's worth… I'm sure your sister is probably thinking about you too," she said with a reassuring smile.

I looked at Helena, my face was damp from my tears.

"Just keep holding onto faith Ari," said Helena, "the more you do, the more likely you'll see your sister again."

I gave her a smile and hugged her.

"Dziękuję Helena (Thank you Helena)," I said.

Helena hugged me back.

"Kiedykolwiek (Anytime)," she said.

I killed the lights again, laying back down and snuggling up under the covers. I looked over at Helena, who had turned over on her left side, looking away from me.

"Helena… If you want… We can snuggle," I said sweetly.

She turned and looked at me.

"Snuggle!?" she demanded, "whatever happened to people getting the wrong idea!?"

I laughed. Helena frowned.

"Mam cię suko, teraz jesteśmy kwita (Gotcha bitch, now we're even)," I said with a cocky smile.

 ** _Author's note: You're probably wondering why I changed Jake's rank. Well... After a lot of speculation I came to the conclusion that using the ranking system from Assassin's Creed: Unity was WAY too confusing and it didn't make any sense at all. Which is why the ranking system for the Assassins in the Judgment trilogy will be following the system from Assassin's Creed III, because... Well i_** ** _t makes more sense, since we're talking about WW II here_**


	33. Chapter 32: Girl Time

Chapter 32

Girl Time

I slept soundly in bed after the skirmish, I don't know how long I was out; and quite frankly I didn't care. After what happened with those paratroopers, it was nice to finally get some proper sleep. What's even more is that I didn't have any disturbing nightmares, so I guess you could say that's a bonus.

I didn't check to see what time I woke up, but I will say that when I opened my eyes, I felt… stiff, like something was laying on me.

"Mm…" I moaned as I woke up and rubbed my eyes, "what? Huh?"

I looked down and stopped, laying right on my stomach… Was Helena… And she was fast asleep. I turned bright red as I heard her shift and coo in her sleep… Oh… And yes, I was screaming on the inside.

 _"Can't move,"_ I thought.

"Mm… Squeeze me tighter," giggled Helena.

I felt my face get hot. Oh, god… Tell me she was having a dream about being in bed with some guy… I mean… Don't tell me she was having a dream about being in bed with some guy… I mean… I mean.

"Mm… Huh? Ariela?" Helena asked as she woke up.

Helena rubbed her eyes and looked down at me. She turned red in the face just as fast as I did.

"Uh…" she said, "hehe… G-Good morning Ariela."

"…Wynoś się (Get the hell off)," I said as I pushed Helena off me.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes again.

"Helena… Why were you laying on me?" I asked as I turned and looked at her.

"Hey don't get mad at me, all I remember from last night is laying on you before going back to sleep," she said, "you didn't even say or _do_ anything."

"YOU COULD'VE SAID SOMETHING!" I screamed, "WHAT IF SOMEONE WALKED IN ON US!?"

"What did I say about getting mad?" Helena asked as she let out a huff, "I mean seriously, there's literally no reason to flip out."

I gave Helena a look.

"Helena, I've been called a lot of things," I said flatly, "gay isn't one of them."

Helena giggled.

"Oh relax, you big baby," she said, "if you were gay, that would make you a pretty hot prize for a lot of the guys here."

I frowned.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"I mean if you were gay, then guys would be able to add you to a threesome," she said, "from what I hear, some guys go for that kind of thing."

"…Helena… Are you-"

"No! No! God no!" Helena piped up, "I just listen to the gossip."

Just then, I turned to the sound of soft knocking at the door. I don't know what happened next, but I soon found myself wrestling with Helena, trying to shove her under the covers.

"Ahh! Hey! What the fuck Ariela!" she screamed.

"Shut up and get under the covers!" I snapped.

"Get the hell off me!" screamed Helena, "I told you it's not a big deal!"

"I don't care! Get under there!" I demanded.

"N-No! Never!" snapped Helena, "ack! Don't touch me there!"

"Well stop thrashing around you idiot!" I snapped.

As Helena and I wrestled with each other on my bed, I heard a voice from the other side of the door.

"Uh… Ariela? Should I come back later?" asked a voice.

I stopped and blushed. That wasn't Jake's voice.

"Uh… N-No, no! C-C-Come in!" I called out.

I felt Helena connect her fist with my stomach, causing me to fall over and wince in pain.

"Ow," I groaned.

"Let's see how you like being forced under the covers!" screamed Helena.

"Helena…? What are you doing?" asked a voice.

Helena and I both turned and saw Kenneth walk into the bedroom, looking embarrassed and confused as all hell.

"What's… What's going on?" he asked.

Helena and I looked at each other, then we looked at Kenneth.

"Uh… Girl Time?" I asked with a sheepish grin.

"…Riiiight," he said, "well, seeing's how you two seem to be having… Whatever this is… I'm going to go-"

"Wait, wait, wait!" I called out.

I pushed Helena off me and swung my legs over the side of my bed.

"What did you have to say? Is there something you wanted to tell me?" I asked.

"Yes," Kenneth said as he pulled his hood off, "I have good news and bad news."

"Uh-oh," said Helena.

"The good news is… since you've been on a pretty good streak lately, I have managed to keep up my end of the bargain, and thus, I have found your sister," said Kenneth.

I felt a jolt of excitement go through me.

"…Are you serious?" I asked.

Kenneth smiled and nodded. I didn't know what else to say, other than jump off the bed, run over to Kenneth and hug him tightly.

"THANK YOU!" I squealed, "Kenneth, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I kissed him on the cheek before hugging him tightly again.

"You're so awesome!" I squealed.

"Uh… Hehe… I-It was nothing Ariela," Kenneth said, sounding slightly flustered, "but um… I kind of need to tell you the bad news."

"Huh?" I asked, "bad news? What bad news?"

As I let go of Kenneth, he gave me a long stare before letting out a sigh.

"Ariela… Your sister was moved to… Auschwitz…" he said.

I felt my heart drop.

"Matka Boga (Mother of god)," I said in disbelief.

I heard stories about Auschwitz, that place was the most infamous prisons in that the Germans and Templars had built. I always thought that the ghettos were bad; but a place like Auschwitz is said to have the most hellish conditions compared to a regular ghetto.

"If what you say is true, Ariela's sister won't last long there," said Helena, "she has to get her out of there fast."

I turned and smiled at Helena, giving her a nod of agreement.

"Believe me I know… But… See you can't exactly get Miriam out easily," said Kenneth.

"Why the hell not?" I asked as I crossed my arms across my chest.

"Isn't it obvious? This isn't some base camp or firebase we're talking about, this is a concentration camp," said Kenneth, "if you go in dressed as an Assassin and any of the guards see you, they'll shoot first and ask questions later or worse."

I didn't like where this was going.

"Kenneth… Now I know you're my superior and I understand that I shouldn't be so pushy since I practically turned over a new leaf but I _need_ to save my sister," I said.

"And you will," said Kenneth, "and I have just the guy to help you."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Who?" I asked.

Kenneth opened the door and called someone in. Out in the hallway, I could make out the sound of footsteps approaching my bedroom, to my shock and surprise, the person who came into my bedroom was not who I was expecting.

"TEMPLAR!" Helena called out.

In a flash, I punched the man in the face, drove my knee up into his stomach, grabbed and slammed him into the wall.

"ARIELA! NO! DON'T HE'S A SYMPATHIZER!" Kenneth called out.

I turned and looked at my superior, who looked damn-near terrified as he saw me get ready to kill the Templar on the spot.

"Now look, I understand that you have every right to kill him, but he said that he's a friend to some Templar traitor you know back in England," said Kenneth, "and I don't think your Templar buddy would be happy if he found out that you killed this man without a second that."

Kenneth then turned towards the Templar.

"And I don't think that your friend would be happy if he found out you put your hands on Ariela in self-defense," he said.

I looked at Kenneth, then I looked at the Templar that I had pinned and released him. The Templar dusted himself off before looking at Kenneth and then at me.

"…Were it so easy," he said.

I just let out a huff. He wasn't wrong, the Templars and Germans are far too familiar with my reputation as a vicious Templar Hunter, his statement made enough sense for me to agree with his sentiment.

"Now, Ariela, this is Richard Schau, he has an idea that can help you get inside of the camp and free your sister," said Kenneth.

"Indeed I do," said Richard, "but… Before we execute this plan, we're going to have to steal your hidden blades for a while."

"Huh? My hidden blades? Why?" I asked.

"For your infiltration mission," said Richard.

I looked over at Kenneth, who gave me a nod, letting me know that Richard spoke true.

"Alright," I said as I went to go get them.

I grabbed both of my hidden blades and walked back over to the boys, handing them to Kenneth.

"Here," I said.

"Excellent," he said.

"What are you going to do with my blades anyway?" I asked, "I mean I get that what you have planned for them revolves around my mission but… You didn't exactly tell me what those plans entailed."

Kenneth gave me a smile.

"You'll see in a few hours," he said, "for now just feel free to do whatever you want for the day until you deploy."

I watched as Kenneth and Richard walked out, leaving me alone with Helena, who walked over beside me, scratching her ruffled hair.

"What do you think they'll do to your hidden blades?" she asked, "do you think they'll modify them like our predecessors?"

"Huh?" I asked.

"Modify them, like our predecessors. As the years kept coming and growing, the Assassins managed to find new and inventive… Inventive… Hey Ariela where are your towels?" asked Helena.

"Bathroom closet," I said, "speaking of bathroom, I need to take one."

"Mind if I join you?" asked Helena, "I don't want to walk back to my room, just so that I can take a shower you know?"

I looked at Helena and then I shrugged.

"Sure," I said, "I don't see why not."

Helena followed me into the bathroom and I closed the door.

"So… You're saying that my hidden blades might get modified?" I asked as I started to strip down.

"Yeah," Helena said as she started to strip down as well.

"How? It's just a traditional tool used by the Assassins," I said I pulled off my t-shirt and threw it on the ground.

"True… But if I recall, there were Assassins before us who made the hidden blade a much more effective tool that didn't just involve stabbing a suka (bitch)," said Helena.

Helena was right, many years ago, there were true Master Assassins who took the hidden blade to the next level. During the Renaissance Ezio Auditore had a hidden blade that came equip with a dart launcher and a hidden gun so he could deliver silent kills while on missions.

During the French Revolution, a noble Frenchman Arno Dorian was said to wield a hidden blade that could also transform into a crossbow… If memory served me, this "Phantom Blade" was widely used among our French brothers and sister.

During the Industrial Revolution, our brothers in Britain had their hidden blades come equip with cable launchers, allowing them to reach impossibly high places. Lucky bastards, hehe.

 _"Well… If what Helena believes is true… What possible modifications do you think I'll get?"_ I thought as I started to scrub myself down.

"Say Ariela… Can I ask you something?" asked Helena.

"Huh? Uh… sure," I said as I started washing my hair.

"You and Jake… Is that serious?" she asked.

I stopped washing my hair and looked at her.

"Przepraszam (Excuse me)?" I asked.

"Are you and Jake serious?" she repeated.

I blushed.

"Helena, I don't think that's… I mean now's not… Where did that come from?" I asked, feeling flustered.

Helena laughed.

"Ari, come on, you can't say that you and Jake aren't serious," she said, "I mean look at yourself. You're a bright, beautiful young Assassin woman. You can kick major Templar and German ass. You can handle yourself as a pilot. And let's not forget your most important asset."

"W-What asset?" I asked.

Suddenly, I felt something strike me right on my wet, bare butt. I let out an alarmed squeak and whirled around at Helena, my face was bright red with embarrassment.

"Dat booty you got," she said with a smirk.

"Dlaczego to zrobiłeś (Why did you do that)!?" I demanded.

"To show you your most important asset," Helena said with a giggle.

I felt my face get more and more hot.

"I don't think Jake and I are… serious yet," I said, feeling even more embarrassed.

Helena gave me a sad look.

"Now isn't that a shame…" she said as she shook her head.

Helena then shrugged.

"Eh… Can't be helped though I guess," she said as she started to rinse off, "do you mind if I offer my two cents?"

"Oh god," I said.

Helena frowned and punched me in the arm.

"Ow," I said.

"Hey, I'm being serious here," she said, "all I was going to say is… If you really want to get serious with this guy. Don't be afraid to go after him. Whether if he accepts you or not at least you know you've tried."

"…Well… You're not wrong about that," I said as I moved under the shower head to get rinsed off.

Helena gave me a smile before stepping out of the shower and grabbing her towel.

"You'd better hope Jake really is serious about you though Ari…" Helena said as she turned, "cause I'm sure there's a lot of guys here who'll snatch you up."

I felt my face get hot again. Helena gave me a wink and walked out of the bathroom, leaving me by myself to absorb what had just transpired. I turned and looked down at my ass, placing my hand on the dripping wet lump of flesh and giving it a light squeeze. I let out a sigh.

…I know what you're probably thinking. It's not that I _hate_ my body. I love it, more specifically I love how I managed to fill out so well during my time here. It's just that… Well… Let's just say there have often been days where some of the commandos often whistled to me out in the halls and point out how sexy I looked.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the guys giving me compliments, like how well I'm able to hold my own in a sparring match or giving me advice by telling me I could try harder. But… When it comes to getting compliments on my physical appearance… I don't know why but I start shrinking so fast.

 _"Guess this is one of the many parts about being a young woman like me,"_ I thought as I turned off the shower and stepped out.

I grabbed my towel and started to dry my hair, leaving it in a damp state as I proceeded to wrap the towel around myself.

 _"You start developing a reputation, you follow the rules and regulations of how things run around here… and people start to notice you,"_ I thought as I started to dry myself off.

I set my towel down and started to get dressed, putting on my bra and underwear before putting on my pants and then my socks. As I reached for my shirt, I stopped and turned so I could look at myself in the mirror. I blushed and whimpered.

 _"Man… it makes it look even bigger,"_ I thought as I put my hand on my ass, _"well… slightly."_

I put my shirt on and started to brush and blow dry my hair, which didn't take very long.

 _"…Not completely dry… But it's something,"_ I thought.

I hung my towel up and stepped out of the bathroom. Helena wasn't in my bedroom.

 _"Guess she went back to her room,"_ I thought.

I went to go grab my jacket off the rack in my room when I heard a distinct knock at my door. I raised an eyebrow and went to go answer it. But as I opened the door, I didn't see anyone there, the only thing I did see was a package down at my feet.

"What's this?" I asked myself as I picked it up.

The package felt light, which could only mean that it had to either be clothes or letters or… something. I closed the door and went over to sit on the bed with the package. I reached over and pulled out a knife from my right boot, which was right beside my bed, ejecting the blade with a flick of a switch and cutting the package open. I dumped out the contents and gasped.

I was right, there was an article of clothing, and not just any article of clothing… It was a jacket. A grey-blue bdu digital camo jacket. As I unfolded it, I saw a note fall out onto the floor, I reached down and picked it up.

"Come and see me when you get the chance.

-Jake," it read.

I blushed.

 _"Jake… Gave me a jacket?"_ I thought, _"w-why did he give me this? More importantly, why does he want to see me?"_

I shook my head and set the note on my nightstand before standing up and looking at Jake's gift.

 _"Well… This is a nice jacket,"_ I thought with a smile.

I started to put it on.

 _"It's warm… It even comes with a hood,"_ I thought as I walked over and checked myself out in the mirror, _"alright Jake… Let's see what you want."_


	34. Chapter 33: Ménage à trois

Chapter 33

Ménage à trois

I walked out of my bedroom and planned to go see what was taking so long with my hidden blades first; however, something made me decide against it… So naturally I went to go find Jake and find out what he wanted to see me for. I asked a few of the others Assassins, as I didn't feel like walking all over the base so I could look for him.

"He's usually in his room," said Devin.

I gave him a "Thank you" nod and went to Jake's room. I've never been to Jake's room before… I've never been to anyone's room here on this base. The only place I've ever been to is the grandmaster's office… Okay I know that doesn't count as a room but still.

Anyway… I arrived at Jake's door and gave a soft knock. I suddenly felt nervous, and started to blush very brightly, my face got really hot too, like someone hit me with a blow dryer.

 _"Please don't be here, please don't be he-"_

"Coming," said a voice.

I let out a squeak and covered my mouth before I started slapping my own face. Jake's door opened and he stepped out. I felt my face get hot again, I don't think I remember him having such a firm build. What he was wearing! He had on a white tank top with cargo pants and socks.

"Um…" I started to say.

"Do you like your jacket?" asked Jake.

"Eep…!" I squeaked, "er, uh… I mean… Yes."

"I thought you would," said Jake, "I take it you got my note?"

I nodded.

"W-What did you need from me?" I asked.

"I wanted to talk to you for a little bit," said Jake, "please, come in."

I hesitated for a moment, then I walked into Jak's bedroom, closing the door behind myself. I looked around the room for a moment before walking over to his bed and sitting down, when I looked down at the floor, I saw something sticking out from under the bed and picked it up to see what it was. I turned red: It was a magazine that contained pictures of… women in bikinis and lingerie.

"What in the-"

Jake swiped the magazine from me.

"One of my buddies left that here," he said with a wink as he slid it back under the bed.

I said nothing… Actually, I didn't know what to say.

"Uh… So…" I said as I started to twiddle my thumbs.

"…Ariela, do you remember what I said? When you asked me if I would be willing to help you find your sister had things gone differently for the two of us?" asked Jake.

"You said yes," I said.

"…There was also something else I wanted to say as well," said Jake, "I was thinking… Maybe… Maybe we could… Start over."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Start over how?" I asked.

"We can try this from a much different approach," said Jake, "not as superior and soldier… but… Partners."

I blushed.

"Partners?" I asked.

"I mean like you and I work together as friends," Jake said as he crossed his arms, "don't overthink what I said."

That made me puff up my cheeks.

"Who said I was overthinking it? Maybe _you_ were the one who was overthinking it," I said.

"Says the little girl, who got flustered at the thought of partnering up with me," said Jake.

I let out a huff.

"So, what do you say… Partners?" Jake asked as he put a hand out.

I let out a sigh and took Jake's hand.

"Partners," I said.

Without warning, Jake leaned in and kissed me on the forehead.

"Good," he said, "now off with you, I have work to do."

As I turned to go, I felt something strike me right on my ass, causing me to let out an alarmed squeak. I whirled around and looked at Jake, my face was flushed red.

"What was that for!?" I demanded.

Jake shrugged.

"Couldn't be helped," he said with a cheeky smile.

I just puffed up my cheeks and marched out of Jake's room. For some reason, as I closed the door, I started to feel weird… Like… Really weird all inside of me. Not like the same kind of weird feeling I had when I was with Oberon. This was… Different. It almost felt… Good.

 _"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"_ I thought, _"partners Ariela! He said partners!"_

I shook my head rapidly and hurried off, trying to clear my head of what had just transpired. The rest of the day slowly carried on, with nothing much happening here on base. Well… All apart from my cousin slowly making a good recovery of the traumatic experience he witnessed. And not only that…

"Hey Ari, I've got a surprise for you," said Kenneth.

I looked up from the book I was reading and turned towards Kenneth and Richard, whom had followed the former into my bedroom.

"Hmm? What?" I asked.

Kenneth pulled something out from behind his back: A rather large metallic chest.

"What's this?" I asked as he handed me the chest.

"Open it," said Kenneth.

I looked up at Kenneth, then I looked down at the chest and started to open it just like he wanted me to. Inside of the chest was my hidden blades… But something about them seemed… Off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first; but then I picked up one of the blades to get a better looked, and that's when I saw it: There was a hidden gun attatched to it.

"This is like Master Ezio's," I said with a smile.

"The hidden gun was a lethal weapon used by our brothers in Italy, small, high velocity, deathly leathal for someone who has a trained eye, truly an Assassins weapon," said Kenneth, "you're going to need these when breaking your sister out."

"And speaking of breaking her out, you can't exactly go break her out if you're armed to the teeth like this," he said.

I gave Richard a look.

"Okay Mr. Man," I said, "make sure you choose your next words wisely or else you'll be going home with bloody kneecaps."

"Easy there Ari, just hear him out," said Kenneth.

"If you're going to break your sister out with little to no collateral damage, I would recommend that you resort to one of your Creed tenets," said Richard.

I raised an eyebrow.

"So what do you propose?" I asked.

Richard smiled.

"Suit up and follow me," he said.

I shrugged.

"Alright," I said.

The boys walked out of the bedroom and left me alone to get dressed, coat and all. I walked out of my bedroom and looked at Richard.

"Lead the way," I said as I fastened my modified gauntlets.

Kenneth and Richard brought me out to the garage, together the three of us hopped into a jeep and headed out of the base, we drove through the trees and out onto an open road. Richard, who was at the wheel, drove us into a nearby town. We didn't seem to drive very far for some reason, because before I knew it, Richard parked the jeep in an alley, where it wouldn't get noticed and we all jumped out.

"Um… Okay… Here we are, now what?" I asked.

"Follow me," said Richard.

I watched as the man started climbing up the side of the left building, making his way to the top. Kenneth and I followed him, from there, Kenneth and I followed Richard from rooftop to rooftop as fast as we could run, hoping to avoid any possible patrols that roamed the streets. If there was anything we knew about the Nazis, it's that nine times out of ten they would have soldiers patrolling the streets, either keeping an eye out for us… Or any stray Jews.

In fact, as we kept running, I stopped and turned after picking up a faint… faint sound of some people who sounded like they were in danger.

"Ariela?" asked Kenneth.

I put a hand up, telling him to be quiet. I followed the sound towards the edge of the roof I was on and looked down. Sure enough, there was a small family who was being harassed by three of Adolf's goons. I frowned and clenched my fist tightly, preparing to jump down from above and kill them all; but something gave me pause… Something made me stop. I looked down at my gauntlet, more specifically the hidden gun attachment.

"Ariela, what are you-"

I motioned for Kenneth to be quiet again. I pulled out a bullet from my gauntlet and loaded it into my hidden gun, locking it in the chamber and taking aim at the first soldier beneath me.

"Proszę! Nie zrobiliśmy nic złego! Dlatego musimy być karane (Please! We haven't done anything wrong! Why must we be punished)!?" the mother cried out.

The soldier struck her in the face with his rifle.

"Schließen Sie Ihr Loch, Sie jüdische Hure! Wir haben unsere Befehle, diese Straßen zu patrouillieren und ein Auge für jeden Streuner zu halten (Shut your hole, you Jewish whore! We have our orders to patrol these streets and keep an eye out for any strays)!" he barked.

The soldier turned towards his comrade.

"Privat, senden Sie den Anruf, lassen Sie den Kommandanten wissen, wir haben ein paar mehr Gefangene, die verschickt werden müssen (Private, send out the call, let the commander know we have a few more prisoners that need to be shipped off)," he said.

 _"Nein, die ficken sie nicht (No, the fuck they don't),"_ I thought.

I pulled the back on the gun, tightened my focus as I aimed at the soldier's head; and then…

 ** _BANG!_**

The soldier went down. I ducked down as his friends raised their weapons and looked around wildly. I felt a smile start to creep across my face as they stated repeating the same thing over and over: Scharfschütze (Sniper). Heh, jackasses. I popped out the round and loaded a new one, locking it in the chamber and waited for them to calm down some before slowly standing up and taking aim at the second soldier, who had his back turned to me. Once again…

 ** _BANG!_**

The soldier dropped dead as the bullet went right through his skull, bits of brain matter and blood squirted out as the bullet upon exiting. I ducked down as the last soldier started to panic again.

"WO SIND SIE, COWARD!? WO BIST DU (WHERE ARE YOU, COWARD!? WHERE ARE YOU)!?" he screamed.

Instead of reloading, I drew one of my knives and stood up.

"Yoo-hoo!" I called out.

The soldier looked up just in time to see me throw my knife and drive it into his chest, killing him. The family members down below, all looked up at gasped when they saw me, the mother smiled and started to cry tears of joy, along with her young son.

"Błogosławię was, Srebrny Blade," she said, "Na zdrowie."

I smiled back at her before regrouping with Kenneth and Richard.

"What did she just call you?" asked Kenneth.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I followed the boys.

"That woman you just saved, and her family, she called you something in Polish," said Kenneth, "what did she say?"

I smiled.

"Srebrny Blade. It means "Silver Blade"," I said.

Kenneth raised an eyebrow.

"Silver Blade?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Ah… So you're Silver Blade," said Richard.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Ever since the destruction of _The Hearth_ , everyone, both Germans and Templars, were talking about how it was destroyed by a Templar traitor and a young Polish girl armed with a pair of deadly silver bladed weapons," said Richard, "since that time people have started calling you Silber Klinge (Silver Blade), including the people that the Nazis have captured."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You're kidding," I said.

"Quite the opposite," said Richard, "a lot of the Nazi prisoners often talk about "Silver Blade the Holy Executioner of God who has decended from heaven to enact justice on those who would seek to control this world"."

That made me smile. I had no idea that my actions were practically becoming the stuff of legend… Okay I wouldn't go _that_ far but still, I thought that was kind of badass. Richard, Kenneth and I kept moving through the town, with nothing exciting happening so far… That is… Until we stumbled upon something promising.

"Lass uns gehen! Lass uns gehen! Wir müssen diese Gefangenen an Bord der Lastwagen bekommen (Let's go! Let's go! We need to get these prisoners aboard the trucks people)!" shouted a Nazi soldier, "Wir haben einen engen Zeitplan (We're on a tight schedule)!"

Yes, Richard managed to find a small prison convoy that was loading people onto a few trucks right below us. I didn't even need to ask why we were here, I already knew why we're here and what the plan was. A joyful smile formed on my face as I started to get excited.

"Ich verkleide mich als Mitglied der SS-Garde (Disguising myself as a member of the SS Guard)," I said happily, "Ich werde es genießen (I am going to enjoy this)."

I pulled my mask over my face and started to slowly make my way down to the ground below. Upon landing, safely, I quickly ducked behind an abandoned car to avoid being spotted, I watched and waited as the SS Guard kept loading more people onto the back of trucks. At the same time, I waited for the right time to see which guard would be open for a quick and quiet kill from me. Unfortunately, I wasn't having much luck…

 _"There's more than one way to bait a deer,"_ I thought.

And with that, I did the most logical thing to catch the attention of the closest soldier: I whistled. The soldier looked around. I got his attention. I whistled again, this time in a much higher pitch as to catch his attention even better. This time, the soldier started making his way towards me, his assault rifle was in his hand and ready to fire the second he found me.

 _"Six… Five… Four…"_ I thought.

Suddenly, my right blade shot out and buried itself into the soldier's neck, I grabbed him and pulled him behind the car, waiting for a good five minutes to make sure that no one saw me off him. All clear. I picked the dead man up and draped his arm over my shoulder as I slowly stood up and made my way behind an alley. From there, I set the dead soldier down and started to strip him of his uniform before stripping down myself and slipping into his clothes.

 _"God, this is actually a little big on me,"_ I thought as I put on the coat, _"I should've picked someone who was a little smaller."_

"Ari?" asked a voice.

I reached for my Colt and aimed in the direction of the voice.

"Hey! Hey! It's us!" exclaimed Kenneth.

I put my gun down and stood up.

"You did a pretty good job," said Richard, "we honestly thought you would kill a lot more guys to find the right size for you to fit in."

"Oh, bite me, Richard," I said as I fastened my blades to my wrists and pulled the sleeves over them, "I didn't want to waste time trying to find a guy who was small and scrawny okay? I just saw the closest idiot and I shoved my blade into his neck."

As I buttoned up the soldier's coat, I bent down and put on his helmet.

"Hang on," said Kenneth.

Kenneth reached into his pocket and handed me something.

"A… Hair band?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're going to need it to tie your hair back," said Kenneth, "the less the Nazis and Templars recognize you, the better."

I sighed and took the hair band, I took off the helmet, pulled my hair back just enough and tied it up into a ponytail before putting my helmet back on.

"Okay…" I said as I grabbed the soldier's assault rifle and pistol, "how do I look?"

Kenneth and Richard looked at each other, then they looked back at me.

"…Ridiculous," said Richard.

I frowned.

"Okay, Herr Ehrlichkeit (Okay, Mr. Honesty)," I said firmly, "now what happens?"

"When you go inside, you can't let anyone know who you really are, so you have to make sure to play along," said Kenneth.

I rolled my eyes. I was afraid of this. If I must play along, that means I must bend over and kiss Adolf's ass so I won't blow my cover. I know you were expecting me to say that I have to kiss the ass of the Templar Grandmaster; but to be honest, kissing the ass of the Nazi Dictator is a thousand times worse.

"Make sure that you find out where your sister is being held so you two can formulate a plan to escape the prison," said Kenneth, "you have three days to complete your mission."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Why three days?" I asked.

Richard looked down. I started to get suspicious.

"…You know something, don't you?" I asked.

"…Your sister was being moved to Auschwitz… In hopes you would catch wind of the news so you would follow," he said, "it was originally meant to be a Templar trap. Had you not caught wind of the news, the Templars… Would've had your sister executed."

Before Kenneth could stop me, my hands were at Richard's collar and I flamed him into the wall of the building on the right.

"What the fuck!? My sister was being transferred to that shithole to be used as bait for the Templars to capture me! And you tell me this now!?" I screamed.

"Ariela, stop it!" ordered Kenneth.

I shot a look at my superior.

"Now look, as much as I'd love to see you tear this guy a new one for keeping that detail out, you don't have the time," he said, "you need to make your way to the prison convoy before they start getting suspicious and start looking for you."

I looked back at Richard and growled.

"Fine…" I said, "I still want to give you something though."

Before Richard could ask what, I planned to give him, I formed my right hand into a fist and punched him in the face. Richard let out a pained yelp and put a hand to his cheek.

"Okay… I deserve that," he said.

"Damn right, bitch," I said in a sour tone.

I picked up the assault rifle again and took a deep breath, shaking off my nervousness. Before I started walking, I looked down at my discarded equipment and picked up my mask, putting it around my face.

"Alright… Now I'm ready," I said.

Kenneth gave an affirmative nod.

"See you in three days," he said.

I gave Kenneth a nod. With a deep breath, I exhaled, steeled myself and made my way to the convoy.

 _"Miriam… I'm coming,"_ I thought.


	35. Chapter 34: Auschwitz

Chapter 34

Auschwitz

"Leutnant? Leutnant (Lieutenant? Lieutenant)!?" barked the SS Guard captain, "Wo könnte er sein (Where could he be)?"

I drew near the convoy, keeping my head down as much as possible so that the soldiers wouldn't get a good look at my eyes. The SS Guard captain turned and approached me.

"Hey du da (Hey, you there)," he said.

 _"Crap,"_ I thought.

I stopped at the same time as the captain. He was a tall man, I'm guessing six feet tall, with a firm build.

"Ich erkenne Sie nicht, wo ist der Leutnant (I don't recognize you, where's the lieutenant)?" he asked.

It was at this moment that my mind started racing. I had to think of something quick, something that he would believe… Something like…

"Er ist ... Er ist tot (He's... He's dead sir)," I said, "Getötet von einem dieser Assassinen (killed by one of those Assassins)."

The captain's eyes went wide in shock.

"Mach dir keine Sorgen, Sir ... Ich habe es geschafft ihn zu töten (Don't worry sir, I... I managed to kill him)," I said, "Mühe ist, habe ich nicht genau gehen weg in einem Stück (trouble is I didn't exactly walk away in one piece)."

I raised my head, letting him see my masked face mask, which had the soldier's blood smeared on it a bit to make it look like it was mine.

"Wie konnten Sie einen Assassinen nehmen? Du bist nur ein gewöhnlicher Soldat (How were you able to take out an Assassin? You're just a common soldier)," he said.

Too easy.

"Kein Soldat, ein Templer. Ich habe mich von meiner Mannschaft getrennt (Not a soldier sir, a Templar. I got separated from my squad is all)," I said.

I flashed my hidden blades.

"Wenn Sie mir nicht glauben, nahm ich die Klingen von der fucker als Souvenir (If you don't believe me, I took the blades off the fucker as a souvenir)," I said.

The man looked at the blades, then he looked at me. I kept letting out slow, deep breaths, keeping myself calm so I wouldn't blow my cover and wind up having to kill him, if I did that there would be no way I could be able to get to the prison and get my sister out.

"…Alles klar dann (Alright then)," he said as he led me over to the rest of the guard, "Wenn Sie sagen, dass Sie getrennt wurden, dann können Sie mit uns ins Gefängnis zu kommen. Ich lasse Kommandant Berand von Ihrer Situation wissen (if you say that you got separated, then you can come with us to the prison. I'll let Commander Berand know of your situation)."

I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Kommandant ... Berand (Commander… Berand)?" I asked as I followed.

"Ja (yes)," said the captain, "kennst du ihn (do you know him)?"

"Äh ... Nur durch den Namen (Uh... Only by name)," I said, "Ich habe ihn nicht persönlich kennengelernt (I haven't met him in person)."

The captain laughed.

"Commander Berand ist ein guter Mann, sowohl er als auch die Männer, denen er dient und fügt unsere Reihen hinzu (Commander Berand is a good man, both him and the men he serves and adds to our ranks)," he said, "Seit sie sich mit uns verbündet haben, haben wir es geschafft, einen festen Fußstoß in Europa zu haben ... Auch wenn wir mit diesen verdammten Assassinen umgehen mussten (ever since they've allied themselves with us, we've managed to have a firm foothold on Europe so far... Even if we've had to deal with those damned Assassin)."

Just hearing him talk about the good Abelard and the Templars are doing was enough to make my face burn up. How could these people be so dammed blind? The Templars aren't _helping_ , they're goading the Germans into slaughtering people, _innocents_ for Christ's sake! And what's worst is that they've been brainwashed into believing that they're helping to create a new world, an Aryan World, they don't have a fucking clue that they're paving the way for the Templars to knock Adolf off of his high horse and snatch the power from him.

"Sind Sie ... Sicher können wir diesen Männern vertrauen? Diese Tempelritter (Are you... Sure we can trust these men? These Templars)?" I asked as we arrived at the convoy.

The captain stopped and looked at me. I shouldn't have said that.

"Ich vertraue ihnen (I trust 'em)," said one of the soldiers.

"Ich auch, sie haben uns geholfen, viel Boden zu gewinnen (Me too, they've helped us gain a lot of ground)," said a second soldier.

"In der Tat ... Und darf ich fragen ... Warum würden Sie fragen, eine solche Frage Soldat (Indeed... And may I ask... Why would you ask such a question soldier)?" asked the captain, "Sie sind doch eure Verbündeten (they're your allies after all)."

Crap. I had to think fast.

"Nun ... Es ist nur, dass, bevor ich zu ihren Reihen hinzugefügt wurde, war ich ein Soldat selbst sein ... Uh ... Ein Scharfschütze, bevor ich einen Platz in ihrem Orden verdiente (Well... It's just that before I was added to their ranks I used to be a soldier myself... Uh... A sharpshooter before I earned a place in their Order)," I said, "Ich war nur ... Uh ... Ich äh ... Tut mir leid, ich habe das falsch formuliert (I was just... Uh... I uh... Sorry, I kind of worded that wrong)."

The captain put a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me.

"Das ist ganz in Ordnung (That's quite alright)," he said.

The captain walked away, making his way towards the truck up front while barking out orders. I let out a long breath, I was so happy I managed to fool that idiot, I thought I'd shit all over myself if I failed.

 ** _WHAP!_**

I let out an alarmed squeak as I felt someone slap me right on the bum, I turned around fast and saw two of the SS Guard chuckling to each other. I frowned and marched over to them.

"Hallo (Hey)!" I snapped.

The guys stopped chuckling and looked at me, backing away a few inches.

"Sie denken, Ohrfeigen meinen Arsch ist komisch (You think slapping my ass is funny)?" I aksed firmly, "Sie wissen, dass ich Ihre Esel haben könnte, um zu versuchen, mit einem Templer zu fraternisieren (you know I could have your asses court-marshalled for trying to fraternize with a Templar)?"

The soldiers looked at each other and then looked at me, they looked terrified by what I had just said. I jabbed my finger into the first soldier's chest.

"Berühre mich wieder dort, wenn du großen Jungen willst. Weil heute Abend kommen, werde ich in dein Schlafzimmer kommen und schneiden Sie Ihre Bälle aus mit einem motherfucking gezackten Messer (Touch me there again if you want big boy; because come tonight, I'll come into your bedroom and cut your balls off with a motherfucking serrated knife)," I warned.

"U-Uh ... Y-Ja ma'am, ich verstehe ma'am (U-Uh... Y-Yes ma'am, I understand ma'am)," he said as he put a hand up.

I made my way over to the troop transport truck and climbed inside, the other members of the guard followed. I had no idea that the Templars carried this much power with them, it was kind of fun to boss these chumps around a bit. It was a shame that I wouldn't get a chance to do that a little more, because we were soon on our way to the prison.

The ride there was dull and boring, a few of the SS Guard talked amongst themselves and told jokes, some of them just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Some of the topics of conversation weren't interesting, as they talked about the good times they had back at home before being enlisted to join the army and serve their leader, others talked about their daily routines, their "morning rituals". Then there were topics that got me turning my head a couple of times, like how they couldn't wait to see the looks on the prisoners faces when they take them to the prison, some of them hoped that they were worked down to the bone, some hoped that they would try to escape so they could get picked off by the guard towers, or caught by the guard and their dogs so they could be mercilessly beaten until they were battered and broken.

That made my face get hot with anger and sadness, I squeezed my eyes shut as I struggled not to break down crying. Heartless bastards, they call themselves doing something for the good of their country and the fucking world, they don't know jack shit. And I'm willing to bet they would have the gall to use the excuse that they're "following orders" just so that they could avoid any and all possible punishment for their crimes.

"Following orders" my ass. These aren't soldiers, they're slaves! Slaves who blindly follow a lie that's disguised as the truth! And the Templars are only adding more kindle to the raging bonfire to make matters even worse… Podły (Despicable).

I don't know how long it took for us to get from where we were to the prison, mainly because I was knocked out for most of the ride… No pun intended.

"Hey! Girl!" someone shouted as he nudged me.

"Hmm?" I asked as I looked up at the guardsman.

"We're here," he said.

I sat up as he turned and hopped out of the truck, I stretched and let out a yawn before following him out. As soon as my feet hit the dirt, I felt like I was going to pass out.

 _"Och ... Kurwa (Oh… Fuck),"_ I thought with despair.

It. Was. Everything I thought it was going to be: A living Hell. The prisoners wore striped camp fatigues and… I could only assume they were wearing ill-fitting wooden shoes on their feet. All around, these prisoners toiled away at their places of work, the bulk of these prisoners, I instantly recognized as Poles and some of them I recognized as Romanians, the rest I didn't know recognized; but I knew they didn't belong in this place regardless.

I felt my grip on my rifle loosen up a bit as I stared, trying my damndest to hide my shock as I looked at the faces of each of the prisoners: They were… So… So… Broken. I don't even think that saying they looked sad would do it justice, these people were… broken. Many of them looked starved to the point where they looked like skeletons wearing a thin sheet of skin to cover themselves, their skins looked deathly pale, as if all the blood had been drained away, but worst of all… They appeared… Mindless. All around it seemed like most of these people had become mindless zombies, slaved to work in these horrid conditions, under the deathly stare of their Templar and Nazi prison guards.

"Welcome to Auschwitz newbie," the guardsman said with a cheerful attitude, "make yourself at home."

Make myself at home? Make myself at **_home_**!? This isn't home! This is the lowest and coldest part of Hell! There is no home anywhere!

"Th-Thank you," I said quietly.

I quickly turned my head to the sound of a Nazi soldier yelling at a prisoner for falling behind on his job.

"Hehe, looks like someone might get executed on the spot," the guardsman, right next to me said with an amused chuckle.

I said nothing. The man was terrified, he put his hands up, appearing to be begging and pleading with the guardsman to have mercy on her for falling behind. I let out an alarmed gasp as he struck the man to the ground, if he didn't appear so weak and thing, I would've thought he had broken his neck from the strike.

 _"That tears it!"_ I thought.

I marched over to the man, my face felt like it had been set on fire, as a mix of anger and rage started to reach their boiling point.

"Hallo (Hey)!" I screamed.

The guardsman turned.

"Was zur Hölle geht hier vor (What the hell is going on here)?" I asked firmly.

"Who are you?" asked the guardsman.

"I'll ask the questions!" I snapped, "now what is going on?"

"Showing this Polish shit what happens when he falls behind on the job," the guardsman said firmly as he drew his pistol.

I grabbed him by the wrist and gripped it tightly.

"What the hell, could he have done? To deserve this kind of punishment?" I asked firmly.

The guardsman wrestled his hand out of my grip and turned to look at me like I was crazy.

"Does it matter? This is how things work around here, when a prisoner starts falling behind, they need to be disciplined!" he barked.

"This man is sick and weak, he needs to rest!" I snapped.

"Why the hell do you care? You're a Templar, I thought you guys couldn't care a less about what happens to the prisoners," he said with a questioning tone.

Shit… I had to think of something fast or else I'll lose my cover.

"I'm… I'm sorry, I'm just… I'm new here," I said, looking down, "I got transferred after I killed an Assassin and took these wrist blades as souvenirs."

The man raised an eyebrow.

"Is, that, right?" he asked.

I gave him a slow nod.

"Well… Why don't you show me how that work?" he asked.

"What… What do you mean?" I asked.

The guardsman chuckled and pointed at the prisoner before me. I felt my heart stop. This can't be real… This… This can't be real, this has to be a trick!

"You… You mean?" I asked.

The guardsman nodded.

"If you're really a Templar, and you are new, why don't you prove it?" he asked, "kill the prisoner."

I felt like I shit all over myself.

 ** _"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent."_**

 ** _"Never compromise the brotherhood."_**

I was screwed, on the one hand I couldn't kill this man; but on the other I couldn't blow my cover, otherwise I won't be able to save Miriam.

"Go on, new girl… Show me that… Templar loyalty you have to your buddies," he said as he crossed his arms.

I looked at the guardsman, and then I looked down at the prisoner, who was shaking and whimpering in fear. I felt my chest start to get tight, as I formed my hands into fists.

"I can't," I said.

"Alright then, how about this?" said the guardsman, "either you kill him… Or _I_ do."

I turned and saw him raised his pistol again. I was trapped, I had to think of something and quick. But what the hell could I do!? I was caught between a rock and a hard place!

"I can't… I'm… Not that keen on killing prisoners like… The rest of my brothers yet," I said as I looked down in shame, "I… I am new after all."

The guardsman gave me a questionable stare and shrugged.

"Fine," he said.

The prisoner looked into my eyes… Those… Sad, broken eyes as he reached forward, as if he wanted me to save him… To help him. I shook my head and looked away.

"Es tut mir Leid (I'm sorry)," I whispered.

I heard the guardsman start to pull the trigger on his pistol, causing the hammer to pull back and come down fast.

 ** _BANG!_**

 _Thud_

I felt my whole-body tense up, like how a child's body would when they heard they were receiving a shot during a doctor's visit. I slowly turned my head and looked at the prisoner, who laid dead in a pool of his own blood with a hole in his head.

"Don't worry new girl, I know that this is messy work and all… but trust me," the guardsman said as he gave me a pat on the back, "you'll learn… To just shrug it off."

The guardsman walked away. I slowly turned my head as I saw him make his way to another part of the prison. I turned back towards the man, now a dead corpse. I couldn't save him… I had my weapons on me and I couldn't save him.

 _"You idiot… You could've killed the guardsman… You could've made it look like an accident, you could've told someone that an Assassin had infiltrated the prison, you could've done anything!"_ I scolded myself.

I shook my head though, realizing how stupid the idea sounded.

 _"No… There wasn't anything you could've done. No matter what choice you made, there might've been a good chance that my mission would be compromised,"_ I thought, _"regardless… It's too late now."_

I looked all around the prison and let out a heavy sigh. I was in Auschwitz now, disguised as the very people I despised. I needed to make sure that I played by their rules, keep their eyes off my back while I looked for Miriam.

 _"However, If I'm going to do this, not only do I need to play by their rules so I can keep their eyes off me… But I need to gain the trust of some of the guardsmen, both Nazi and possibly Templar,"_ I thought, _"I need to gain their trust, try to pull them over to my side so I can have more leg room to look for Miriam. I just hope I can get it all done in three days. If not… My sister won't make it for the rest of the war… If not shorter."_


	36. Chapter 35: The Masked Templar

Chapter 35

The Masked Templar

Not much had happened since I arrived at this place, all except for doing a little patrolling around the perimeter of the camp, keeping an eye on the prisoners. No one had assigned me on guard duty or anything, I was just getting a feel for where everything was: Entrances, exits, guards, guard towers, the barracks where they kept the prisoners, any possible infirmaries, everything. I rounded the prison a good ten to eleven times to make sure I had a fully detailed map of the place. Although it was risky, I made sure to also get a quick bird's eye view from on top of a barracks… That is, before I had to get down from the roof as fast as I could the moment one of the guards caught me.

 _"Twenty… Twenty barracks. Five infirmaries. A little over ten buildings. And nine watch towers,"_ I thought as I looked around the prison, _"prison is surrounded by barbed wire for the first line of defense and a wall for the second line of defense… And there's only one entrance."_

I let out a sigh.

 _"Dammit, this is going to be a lot tougher than I thought,"_ I thought, _"I really am going to have to work my magic and see if I can gain the trust of some of the guardsmen… I know it won't be easy. But then again… Nothing ever is."_

The day continued as normal, for some odd reason, none of the guardsmen even bothered to approach me, which I found quite odd. Usually whenever a new guy or new girl arrives they usually get swamped by the guys and gals who've been on the job for a long time.

I guess that rule just applies to Assassins and Templars maybe…? I don't know, I'm rambling again. Anyway… It was getting close to the evening, and roll call was taken to make sure that all the prisoners were present and accounted for. No one told me if the guards themselves had to be present during roll call and I didn't bother to ask, I simply joined so I could see if my sister was in the group.

I didn't really go up next to the officers as one of them was calling out the prisoner's names, but I did get close enough to hear the names he was calling. I could only guess that the names were put in alphabetical order by last name, because he seemed to be on "B" … maybe "C".

I wasn't sure how long the roll call had lasted… But if I had to guess it was about a little over five or ten minutes. As I was about to go take a quick walk for a bit or find a place to rest my legs, I heard the SS Officer stop talking and immediately start shouting something. I knew right then and there that was a bad sign.

 _"A prisoner's missing,"_ I thought.

Soon, the rest of the officers started yelling for the guards. Not wanting to get myself noticed, I hid in the shadows while a small group quickly assembled in front of their superiors. The officer who gave the roll call barked out a series of orders to the men before him and they took off. The officer then turned towards the prisoners and pointed a finger, telling no one to move. I don't know why they would honestly bother to move, especially when they knew the guy could snap his fingers and they would all be shot dead.

 _"…Hmm… This prisoner going missing just might work to my advantage,"_ I thought as I started to slowly make my way towards the prisoners.

I kept looking over at the officers every few seconds or so, to make sure that they didn't have their eyes set on me as I got closer and closer to the prisoners who stood out in the open crisp October air. One of the prisoners who saw me approach, started to shake violently with fear and began to whimper, like an abused dog. I stopped fast and looked down at the assault rifle in my hands, I looked over at the SS officers and then I looked back at the prisoners.

"W porządku (It's alright)," I said in a reassuring tone as I put my weapon down, "Nie mam zamiaru nikogo skrzywdzić (I'm not going to hurt anyone)."

Well that certainly caught the prisoner's attention, especially since I pulled my mask down so they could get a look at and see who was in this uniform. One by one, the prisoners started whispering my nickname.

"Srebrny Blade (Silver Blade)."

"Srebrny Blade (Silver Blade)."

"To Silver Blade (It's Silver Blade)."

"Srebrny Blade (Silver Blade)."

"Srebrny Blade jest tutaj (Silver Blade is here)."

I smiled, hearing them call me by that name, I felt like a living symbol to these good people. I quickly looked back at the officers and then I looked back at the prisoners.

"Słuchaj, nie mam zbyt wiele czasu, szukam młodej, polskiej dziewczyny. Miriam Liora (Listen, I don't have much time, I'm looking for a young woman, a Polish girl. Miriam Liora)," I said.

The prisoners all looked at each other and whispered amongst themselves. One of the prisoners, an older man, stepped up and spoke.

"You mean the girl who was taken by those men with the red cross?" he asked.

I nodded.

"We've been hearing rumors that she's been getting… Special treatment," said the man, "she gets better clothes and she gets full course meals."

I raised an eyebrow. Full course meals? Better clothes? This isn't like the SS Guard or the Templars to do.

"We thought that she might've been picked to be experimented on like the others-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Experimented?" I asked, "what do you mean experimented?"

"Wir haben ihn geehrt (We got him sir)!" someone shouted.

I turned around fast and gasped, the guards found the prisoner. I only had seconds.

"What do you mean experimented?" I repeated to the man.

"Th-Those men with the red cross had some of the prisoners subjected to medical experiments, those who were selected were better fed and clothed," he said, "we don't know what kind of experiments they put the prisoners through; but all we know is that those people aren't seen for days… Weeks even."

"And Miriam wasn't selected to undergo those experiments?" I asked.

"No, but… Whenever she was given a full course meal, she would often share with the rest of us whenever the guards weren't looking," said the man, "she told me if she was caught sharing her meals with us that they would punish her to the most severe extent."

"Has it ever reached that point?" I asked, wanting to know as much details as possible.

I quickly looked back at the SS officers and the guards, who were busy dealing out the prisoner's punishment with a severe beating before looking back at the man.

"N-No… Well, it's only happened to her at least twice," said the man, "the first time they beat her until she was black and blue… The second time, they locked her up in the basement for three days before they pulled her out."

I started to feel my muscles tense up.

"What's weird though is after she got punished those two times, she was… Sent to the infirmary for special recovery," said the man.

There was a brief pause before the man spoke again.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you interested in that girl?" he asked.

I looked back at the SS officers and guards. They got finished punishing the prisoner.

"…Because she's my sister," I said as I walked away.

The evening carried on as the prisoners returned to their bunks, I of course was busy processing what the man had just told me. Miriam really was being used as bait. Full course meals, better clothing, full medical recovery from her punishments? The Nazis would never allow such treatment like this, not unless if someone was selected to undergo these… Medical experiments, whatever they were and whatever they entailed.

 _"The Templars were aware of the conditions these camps, they wanted the SS Guard to place Miriam over into their custody as a means of keeping her alive long enough for me to come and rescue her,"_ I thought as I leaned against the wall of a building.

I looked over at the prison barracks and felt my heart get heavy, I could feel their pain, I knew that it was awful inside of those buildings. As much as I didn't want to, I had to go inside, I had to find out where my sister was. If she was resting in one of those bunks, then I knew that this mission was going to be easy. But if she was hiding out someplace else, then that meant I would really need to have to resort to calling on some inside help.

I made my way to the first prison barracks and looked around before setting down my rifle someplace dark and secluded, as to avoid anyone from noticing it wasn't in my hands… Or to put it simply… To avoid any suspicion from the guards. I walked inside of the barracks and froze. It was exactly how I thought it would be… The prisoners were all crammed inside of their respective bunks, I could hear a lot of them grunting and groaning as they tried to get comfortable. It made my heart bleed for them.

 _"I don't want to cause too much noise… Maybe if I can find just one…"_ I thought as I slowly moved through the dark.

I felt my Eagle Vision activate, allowing me to see all the prisoners around me as I moved from row to row, trying to find a someone to wake up, someone who wouldn't arouse the others. I searched for a good minute or two at least, until I found one prisoner, a young woman by the looks of it and approached her. I slowly reached forward and nudged her shoulder. The woman's eyes snapped open and she opened her mouth to let out a loud scream, but I covered it fast.

"W porządku. W porządku. Nie zamierzam cię skrzywdzić, jestem przyjacielem (It's alright. It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend)," I said.

I shook my head, realizing that what I said not only sounded cliché, but also sounded not very believable.

"Jestem Srebrny Blade (I'm Silver Blade)," I said.

The woman calmed down and looked at me as I removed my hand from her mouth.

"S-S-Srenbry Blade (S-S-Silver Blade)?" she asked.

I nodded as I pulled my mask down, revealing my face. Judging by the sound of her voice, it was obvious that she was parched. It wasn't until I realized that I still had a canteen on me. The very same canteen I swiped from the soldier I killed. I took it off my person and gave it a quick shake, there was still a bit left. I handed the canteen to the woman, and she quickly took it, I watched as she unscrewed the cap and put the canteen to her lips, she started guzzling every drop.

"Łatwy ... Można wysłać go w niewłaściwy tchawicę jeśli pić go tak szybko (Easy... You might send it down the wrong windpipe if you drink it that fast)," I said.

The woman stopped for a moment and started to drink slower. She handed the canteen back over to me. I shook my head.

"Proszę wziąć (Please, take it)," I said, "trzeba go bardziej niż mnie (you need it more than me)."

The woman gave me a smile and drank the rest of the water a lot more slowly, finishing the canteen and handing it back to me.

"Słuchaj ... Szukam młodej kobiety ... A Girl ... Miriam Liora (Listen... I'm looking for a young woman... A girl... Miriam Liora)," I said in a soothing tone, "widziałeś ją? Czy ona jest tutaj (have you seen her? Is she here)?"

The woman shook her head.

"Gdzie ona jest (Where is she)?" I asked.

The woman looked at me, but said nothing.

"Proszę, ona jest moją siostrą (Please, she's my sister)," I pleaded.

The woman looked around before facing me again. She motioned for me to come closer, I obliged. The woman leaned in close and whispered something in my ear…

"Specjalna ... Guest Room (Special... Guest... Room) …" she said faintly.

I raised an eyebrow. I looked at the woman.

"Specjalny pokój? Co masz na myśli (Special guest room? What do you mean)?" I asked.

"Ja ... nie mogę powiedzieć zbyt wiele ... Muszę ... rest (I... I can't say too much... I need... Rest) …" she said as she slowly laid back down, "Dziękuję ... za wodę (thank you... For the water)."

I gave the woman a small smile and a nod as she fell asleep. I stood up, pulled my mask up, and slowly crept out of the barracks. A special guest room? What does that mean? Is there like a special room that's made inside one of the infirmaries to set my sister a part from the rest of the prisoners? Is there a special room in one of the barracks that the Templars made for her…? Could she be staying in a room made for one of the SS guard? Or one of the Templar officers?

I shook my head, fearing the thought of my sister having a room like either one of them… Or worse, having to share a room with one of them… I know that one of the SS guard would typically treat my sister like dirt; but the Templars… They're not so quick to pass judgment on a chance to put their hands on a fragile Polish girl like my older sister.

The very thought was enough to make me shiver as I opened the door and walked out of the barracks. As I closed the door behind me and started to go and find my rifle, I froze, hearing someone call out to me.

"Hey you! Templar!" barked a voice.

 _"Hell…"_ I thought.

I slowly turned and saw an SS Guardsman approach me.

 _"Dammit, I'm screwed,"_ I thought.

"What are you doing over here new girl?" asked the guard, "I thought you would be with the rest of us."

Shit, I had to think fast, come up with something to throw him off or distract his ass.

"Uh… I was… I was checking to make sure that none of the prisoners were trying to escape," I said.

The guardsman looked at me for a moment.

"…Where's your rifle?" he asked.

"My rifle?" I asked.

"What have you got stones in your ears? Yes, your rifle," he muttered.

"Uh… Right, my rifle… It's uh… Uh… I have it uh…" I started to say.

The man cocked his head to the left.

"I have it… I have it…" I started to say.

There was no way out of this, I had to act.

"Gott verdammt (Goddammit)," I muttered.

I lunged forward, the guardsman was startled and started to raise his weapon, but I grabbed the barrel and drove my knee into his stomach, causing him to double over and groan in pain. Without losing momentum, I brought my fist up and it connected with his nose, causing him to cry out in pain, giving me time to grab him and pull him into the shadows; from there I pressed him against the wall and had my right hidden blade to his throat.

"Keine Respektlosigkeit, bub, aber wenn Sie so viel wie ein einziges Geräusch machen, werde ich Ihre Kehle schneiden (No disrespect, bub, but if you so much as make a single sound, I'll cut your throat)," I hissed.

The man's eyes widened, but he nodded nonetheless.

"Good," I said, "now, I don't know you, and if I don't know you then I don't like you. So, I'm just going to ask you a few questions. And if you're a good boy, I might let you walk away with… A bloody nose or a black eye to remember me by. Ich habs (Got it)?"

The man nodded.

"Good," I said, "now… I know that you're holding a girl here… A Polish girl who's also of German blood. Miriam Liora, where is she?"

"I-I-I-I don't know, I really don't know I just patrol the walls, I don't know anything about some girl named Miriam," he said in a fast pace, "I swear to god."

I frowned and retracted my blade. Without so much as a hint of hesitation, I clocked the guy in the jaw. He let out a pained yelp.

"Liars really _piss me off_ ," I hissed, "now, where is Miriam Liora."

"I don't know! I swea-"

I cut him off with a punch to his stomach. The man groaned and started to double over, but I pressed him against the wall again and pinned him against the barracks.

"Quiet… You'll wake the prisoners," I said.

The man gave me an affirmative nod.

"Now… Where is Miriam?" I asked firmly.

"I swear, I don't know," he said.

I groaned and rolled my eyes.

"Listen Hündin (bitch), I don't like it when I'm trying to interrogate a liar, and I _especially_ hate it when someone wastes my fucking time," I said, "now you have one more chance to tell me what I need to know before I get angry."

The man started shaking, I got his attention.

"Now… Where is Miriam Liora?" I asked.

"…O-O-Okay look, I do know alright?" he asked, "b-b-but I can't tell you… He'll kill me."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Kill you?" I asked as my hidden blade shot out, "Hündin (bitch), if you don't tell me…"

I cover his mouth with my hand as I plunged my blade into his side. The man let out a pained groan, his knees started to buckle from underneath himself, which caused me to try to keep him standing up.

"…I'll kill you," I finished as I pulled out my blade and retracted it.

The man started panting heavily, tears started to roll down his face as he felt the sting of my blade go through his entire body.

"Now… Are you going to talk?" I asked, "because the next one's going right in your fucking knee."

The man gave me a quick nod, judging by the amount of air that kept hitting my hand, I could tell he was breathing hard, trying to shake off the pain.

"Where's Miriam?" I asked as I took my hand off his mouth.

"Sh… She's-"

"Wait…" I said as I put a finger to his lips, "actually I have a better question… What is this "special guest room"?"

The man's eyes widened again. He knew something.

"I-I…" he started to say.

"Welp, out comes the knee," I said as my blade shot out.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" begged the man, "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

My blade retracted.

"The special guest room is a little room that's located at one of the infirmaries…" said the man.

"Which infirmary?" I asked.

"Oh, come on, I don't know," he said.

My blade shot out again.

"B-But I-I-I-I might know someone that does know," he said as he motioned for me to lean in closer, "there's a Templar here, a Templar by the name of Barton Kasimir. He's often given duties by the warden to watch over the girl whenever the evening rolls around."

"What does he look like?" I asked as my blade retracted.

"Oh, you know, he's kind of about your height, average build, blonde hair, blue eyes and has a tattoo on the back of his neck," said the man.

I let him go.

"This would've been a lot easier on you if you had just given me the answer right away instead of pussy-footin' around like you're the fucking new guy," I said, "you're a member of the SS Guard… So, act like it."

The man just gave me a sheepish grin.

"Oh… And one last thing," I said.

The man started to panic.

"W-W-Wait, I gave you everything you needed to know!" he exclaimed, "please, don't kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you," I said.

"W-Wait, wha-"

But he was cut off as I punched him in face, knocking him out. The man dropped to the ground with a hard thud.

"I don't want to blow my own cover," I said as I knelt and started to dress the stab wound I gave him.


	37. Chapter 36: The special guest

Chapter 36

The special guest

"Ugh… W-What happened?"

It was the next day, the man looked over at me, as I sat right beside him while he rested. The man shot up fast and backed away, shaking with fear.

"H-Hey, I told you everything you needed to know," he said, "there's no need to kill me-Argh!"

"Don't move around so fast," I said without getting up, "you'll cause your wound to start to open up again."

The man looked down and saw that he was topless, but more importantly, he was all nice and bandaged up properly. I placed a hand on the red spot, where his wound was; he then took it off as he looked at me.

"…Why?" he asked.

"Why what?" I asked.

"Why didn't you kill me?" he asked, "you stabbed me… For all you know I could go to one of the officers and-"

"You wouldn't dare do such a thing," I interrupted.

The man stopped and swallowed.

"W-W-What?" he asked, "w-why do you say that-Er, I mean… W-What do you mean?"

I stood up and sat down on the bed, giving the man a serious stare.

"That wound I gave you? That's something that I don't think a prisoner would give you," I said, "if you were to go to one of your officers and tell them what I did, they would start asking you questions… Like if you told me anything. Which you did."

The man swallowed again.

"Regardless of whether you tell them the truth or not, the outcome would wind up being the same," I said, "best case scenario is that they court-martial you, the worst is that they kill you for having such a weak spine."

The man said nothing.

"So, if I were you buddy, I would keep my big mouth shut, if you know what's good for you," I said firmly.

The man's expression started to change, as he began to piece together who I was.

"You… You're Silver Blade," he said.

"Good guess," I said as I hopped off.

I started to make my way towards the door.

"W-W-Wait! Y-You can't leave me here!" he exclaimed, "you've got to kill me?"

I stopped and turned.

"…Give me a good reason why," I said.

"Well because… Because… Uh…" he started to say.

"That's what I thought," I said as my hand wrapped around the doorknob.

"Okay, okay!" he sputtered, "I can help you!"

I turned around again.

"Oh really? And what exactly do you want in return for your services?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"Does it really matter?" he asked, "…look, you have every right to hate it for what we've done okay? You have _every_ right. Believe me when I say that there's not a day that goes by where I don't think about the prisoners that toil at their daily tasks."

I didn't say anything.

"Please. All I'm asking is for a chance, a chance to do right for once in my life," he said, "please… That's all I'm asking."

I didn't say anything. I was deep in thought, as much as I wanted to push him off, as much as I wanted to just tell him to shove it up his tyłek (ass)… There was a part of me that was filling my mind with… Nagging thoughts… Familiar… Nagging thoughts. Those same nagging thoughts that I remember getting when I first met Oberon.

"…You want to do right… Yes?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Then I want you to tell me Barton's routine patterns, so that way I can be able to catch him when he's all by himself," I said, "watch him closely, and come back to me when you have the information that you've gathered."

The man nodded. I turned back towards the door.

"…What's your name?" I asked without turned around.

"Dalton. Dalton Ulfric," he said.

"This meeting never happened Dalton," I said, "understand? We never had this talk."

Dalton nodded as I left. I looked around at the infirmary for a moment before turning towards the door and walking out of the building without another word. I shielded my eyes as I was hit with the suns bright rays.

 _"Damn… How long was I out?"_ I thought.

"Hey! Templar!" someone barked.

I turned around fast and saw one of the SS Officers approaching. This wasn't good.

"Where in the hell have you been?" he asked as he crossed his arms and gave me a stern expression.

My eyes darted at the door to the infirmary and then they looked back at the officer before me.

"Well, for your information, I was doing your job," I said firmly.

"Excuse me?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"You heard me, I found one of your guardsmen lying down on the ground in a small pool of his own blood," I said, "I could tell by the stab wound that he was obviously attacked by someone, I don't know who though."

The officer raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" he asked.

"What you don't believe me?" I asked.

The officer was taken aback, not expecting me to respond with a question like that.

"N-Now wait a second, you can't talk to me like that," he said.

I raised an eyebrow and let out a scoff.

"I'm not a part of your company," I said, "in fact if I recall, the Templars are only here to support you idiots."

"W-Well-"

"Or did you think that you just had as much authority over your guards as you do with lower ranking Templars and Hunters?" I interrupted firmly.

"N-No, I was just asking a question-"

"Oh, I guess I'll have to speak to Commander Berand about this," I said.

The officer started to panic.

"No! No! Please, I apologize, don't go to the commander!" he pleaded, "if you go to the commander, he'll go to the grandmaster, and we can't lose our support here at this camp!"

I marched right up to the man and looked him right in his face.

"Then I would recommend that you not catch an attitude the next time you don't see me anywhere, got it?" I asked, poking his chest.

The officer nodded and walked away. Okay… Now, I know I'm an Assassin, and as an Assassin, the ideals that I follow involve not being free but wise and all; but I must admit, that was fun.

 _"So, this is what it's like to be in a position of power,"_ I thought with a smirk.

I quickly shook my head.

 _"No! No! Bad Ariela! Bad girl!"_ I scolded myself, _"don't get any funny ideas!"_

After my encounter with that SS Officer, I went to go get some breakfast. While I was in the mess hall getting my meal, I managed to swipe an extra roll or two and stuff them in my pockets, which I secretly shared to two of the prisoners inside of the camp after I got finished eating. The day progressed as usual, with not much happening like yesterday… Well, okay that's not entirely true.

"Sind Sie immer schlau mit mir punk (Are you getting smart with me punk)!?" someone shouted.

I turned around fast and ran towards the direction of the shouting, sure enough, there were two of SS Guardsmen yelling at one of the prisoners. I took a good look at the prisoner that they were yelling at. It wasn't a Jew. It was a Russian.

 _"Typical for a Soviet Prisoner to backtalk to these chumps,"_ I thought.

I turned and got ready to walk away, when a foreign thought entered my head. I turned back at the Soviet, who was struck to the ground after being hit upside the head with one of the guard's batons. I don't know what came over me, but before I knew it, I found myself making my way over to the prisoner.

"Was ist denn hier los (What's going on here)?" asked a voice.

I stopped and saw three more guards make their way over to the SS Guardsmen. Judging by their patches, I knew that they were Templars.

"Dieser Gefangene beschlossen, ein kurzes Nickerchen statt seine fucking job (This prisoner decided to take a quick nap instead of doing his fucking job)!" snapped the first guard.

"K sozhaleniyu, yesli ya ne chuvstvuyu, kak rabotayut dnem i noch'yu Pustiv v chernuyu rabotu," spat the Soviet.

He looked up at the Templars.

"Chto sluchilos', rebyata? Vy ne dayut zaklyuchennym nravlyus' spetsial'noye lecheniye? Tol'ko to, chto pol'skaya shlyukha vy poluchili zapert za dorogoy Ol 'Winter?" he asked.

The first Templar grabbed the Soviet by the hem of his shirt. I don't know what he just said, but I could only assume that it wasn't anything nice.

"You speak English?" he asked.

The Soviet gave him the "So-so" gesture.

"Good, then let me just tell you that the only reason why you're still alive, is because the warden believes you might have valuable information locked away in that little head of yours," he said, "information that we could use to achieve our goal."

"If by "Goal", you mean create a world that's controlled by these Facists? Then… Congratulations on the progress you've been making," said the Soviet.

The Templar frowned. I guess I wasn't the only one who caught the tone of sarcasm in his voice.

"That supposed to mean something?" he asked through gritted teeth.

The Soviet chuckled.

"I don't know, you guys always seem to have all of the knowledge and power," he said, "why don't you figure it out?"

I let out a quiet gasp. This man… This prisoner… He wasn't a Soviet at all! He's an Assassin!

"Hey!" I called out as I made my way over to the group.

Everyone turned and looked at me as I approached.

"What do you want, new girl?" asked one of the Templars.

"What seems to be the problem?" I asked.

"The problem is, this prisoner is being rather defiant," said one of the SS Guards.

"Oh, well that won't do much good, now will it?" I asked.

I looked down at the Assassin. I don't know much about the Soviets, mainly because I never thought that I would encounter any of them while I was out on a mission. But to encounter a Sov-I mean, a member of the Russian Brotherhood…

"Why don't I take it from here boys?" I asked as I cracked my knuckles.

"What?" asked one of the SS guards.

"Ha! You actually want to take this guy?" asked one of the Templars, "you can't even execute a prisoner when you're told."

Before anyone could react and try to stop me-

 ** _BAM!_**

I punched the Templar right in his nose, causing him to let out a yelp and cover his face as blood started to quickly drip out.

"What the hell!?" he screamed at me.

"Unterschätzen Sie mich wieder, und ich werde dafür sorgen, dass Sie nur in der Lage, Ihre Mahlzeiten durch ein Stroh essen (Underestimate me again, and I'll make sure that you'll only be able to eat your meals through a straw)," I warned.

The Templar shivered.

"Y-Yes ma'am," he said.

I turned my attention back towards the Assassin before me. If memory serves me, these guys are said to be tough as nails. I would expect nothing less considering where they reside, Russia can be a cold and unforgiving place, especially during the colder months; and I'm sure that the training these guys go through is a lot more intense than the training I've gone through when I joined the brotherhood.

"Go ahead, beat the hell out of me all you want, I've suffered worse during training," he said.

"Oh really? Why don't we test that?" I asked as I cracked my knuckles.

I grabbed the guy by the hem of his shirt, pulled my right arm back and clocked him right in the jaw. The Assassin looked back at me, with that same expression on his face: Cheekiness.

"Well… I guess you weren't lying," I said.

Soon, I started to wail on the guy, I threw punches and jabs, I even drove my knee into his stomach and ribs a couple of times. The Assassin grimaced and grunted a few times from the hits, but he didn't bother to fight back, he just took his licks without uttering a single word. Eventually, the beatings got to the point where my arms were starting to become sore and the Assassin's face was starting to become black, blue, and bloody from the hits he's been getting.

"Huh, still standing eh? Well you won't be standing after I break your fucking legs!" I screamed.

"What the hell is going on here!?" shouted a voice.

Everyone turned around fast to see whose voice that belonged to. I gasped.

"Commander on deck!" the third Templar called out as he stood at attention.

He wasn't lying. Not only did I see Barton Kasimir, but Abelard as well, and he was flanked by a few members of the SS. Abelard looked down at the Assassin, and then he looked at me, I felt his gaze slowly make its way towards my bloody knuckles.

"…What's your name hunter?" he asked.

"M-Me?" I asked.

"No, I mean the Templar next to you," Abelard said in a sarcastic, yet annoyed tone.

"M-My name is… My name is… S-S-Sophia," I said, "Sophia Adele."

Abelard approached me, I slowly looked down as I tried to avoid his gaze.

"Sophia Adele… That's a rather pretty name for a hunter like yourself," he said in a soothing tone, "problem is… I don't seem to remember you."

Crap… I had to think fast!

"Uh… I-I'm new," I said, "I'm new sir, I-I was separated from my squad and… I-I was taken to this camp after I ran into that prison convoy."

Abelard smirked.

"Is that so?" he asked.

I gave a slow nod.

"Well… It's fortunate that you stumbled upon that prison convoy Miss Adele, the last thing that we would want is to have you get left in that city," said Abelard, "war is an effective teacher… But it can also be a cruel parent, you know."

To each his own bub.

"I… I think I would've been able to manage sir," I said.

I stiffened, feeling Abelard brush a few strands of my hair over my ear.

"I'm sure," he said.

Abelard chuckled as he pulled his hand away.

"Now, tell me Miss Adele… Why were you brutally beating this prisoner?" he asked.

"I… He was causing trouble," I said.

"Oh?" Abelard asked.

"It was my fault sir," said the first SS Guard, "I should've just called in one of your men and have him solve the situation without getting the hunter involved."

I shot a look at the man. Talk about rude.

"So, it was your fault?" asked Abelard.

The guard nodded.

"…How disappointing," said Abelard.

Before anyone could react, Abelard flashed his pistol and shot the guard in the head, killing him. My jaw dropped under my mask. He didn't even bat an eyelash! He just… Straight-up blew this guy's brains out without a second thought!

"Let this be a lesson to you," Abelard said to the remaining guard, "this prisoner is not to be touched by _any_ _ **means!**_ "

Abelard holstered his weapon.

"Lay one hand on him again, and you shall regret it," he said in a firm tone, "is that clear?"

"Y-Y-Yes commander," said the guard.

"Good," said Abelard.

The guard ran off. Abelard turned and looked at me, my gaze never leaving my feet.

"Considering that this is a first offense, I'm going to let this slide," Abelard said as he ran his hand down the left side of my cheek.

He tilted my head up, so my eyes met his. Now… I trust you can imagine how much of a pain it was to try and keep my breathing in check, because looking at the eyes of the murderer of my family… the person who kidnapped my sister, took a lot of willpower to try and not drive my right hidden blade into his chest and end him.

"Mm… Yes… I like you Sophia," said Abelard, "you seem to certainly be a woman of ambition… determination… drive. There was only one other person who had these special traits…."

I said nothing. Abelard chuckled and leaned back.

"Hmph, forgive me, I got myself rambling," he said.

Abelard turned towards his SS guards.

"Take the prisoner to the infirmary," he ordered.

The guards nodded and took the Assassin away, Abelard turned towards me again and gave a smile.

"Carry on," he said as he turned to leave.

"Uh… C-Commander?" I asked.

Abelard turned back around.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Uh… Forgive me for throwing this out there… But I overheard that you were holding a special guest here in this camp," I said, "is that true?"

"…Yes," said Abelard, "why do you ask?"

"Uh… C-C-Could I see this special guest?" I asked, slowly.

Abelard raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked.

Crap, I should've known he'd say that. Either he's trying to see if it's me under this mask… Or something else.

"Uh… I just want to see if this special guest really is special," I said, "I mean… for all I know it could probably be a prisoner that you're holding as your own personal pet or something."

"What are you saying?" Abelard asked as he crossed his arms.

"I'm saying if you think this guest is so special, why keep her a part from the rest of the prisoners?" I asked in a matter-of-fact tone, "why not give her the same conditions as the rest of them?"

Abelard raised an eyebrow.

"What? Am I, right? Or am I wrong commander?" I asked as I put my hand on my hip.

I did my damnedest to make sure that I didn't come off the wrong way in his eyes. Now I know what you're thinking, and you're right, I should've stuck with my original plan to try and play nice with Barton and try to get him to show me where Miriam was. But if I tried to get him to show me where Miriam was located, Abelard would probably get suspicious and start asking questions… If not have his soldiers start keeping a close eye on me. So as far as I'm concerned, it was better to get the information out of Abelard than Barton.

Abelard eventually sighed after about a minute or so.

"Follow me," he said.

Abelard led me to one of the infirmaries inside of the camp. We walked inside of the building, already I could notice that something was off about this place.

 _"There's a lot more guards in here,"_ I thought as I looked around.

What's more is that the patients here… the prisoners… were a lot more properly fed and clothed by the Templars. What the hell is going on here? The Templars play nice with Hitlers goons; but behind closed doors they play nice to the prisoners? But why? This doesn't add up. You'd think that they would treat these prisoners in the same manner like Adolf's men do… Unless if I'm missing something… Unless if there's something else going on here in this infirmary.

"Here it is," Abelard said as we stopped at end of the hallway.

Abelard unlocked the door and opened it. It was an average room, typical to what you would see in any infirmary, complete with a bathroom to the side, a radio, and a bed. When I looked at the bed… I almost froze. Resting under the covers, dressed in warm clothes… Was a Polish girl roughly in her early to mid-twenties. She had long light brown hair, a beauty mark on her right cheek, and had slightly pallor skin. Abelard made his way over to the girl and nudged her awake. The girl slowly looked up and gasped.

"It's alright," he said with a reassuring smile, "I just have someone that I'd like you to meet."

The girl looked over at me, and I was looking back at her.

"Miriam, meet Sophia," he said, "Sophia, meet Miriam."

The was a long, uneasy silence as Miriam and I stared at each other, until eventually she sat up straight and said in a soft tone, "…Hello."


	38. Chapter 37: Touching the darkness

Chapter 37

Touching the darkness

I stared at my sister, my feet were frozen in place. I didn't want to believe it… I didn't want to believe that I was looking at my sister.

 _"I thought she was dead…"_ I thought.

"Sophia," said Abelard, "don't you know it's rude to not greet someone?"

"Huh? Oh uh… Hello Miriam," I said.

Miriam looked at Abelard.

"Why is she here?" she asked.

"She just wanted to come and meet you is all… Right Sophia?" Abelard asked as he pat Miriam on the head.

I felt my chest get tight… Really tight. This sukinsynu (son of a bitch) kidnaps my sister and has the nerve to put his hands on her like she's his own child? Like she's his actual special guest!? I don't know what he did to my sister, or why she isn't showing any signs of fear in his presence; but whatever he did… I'll make him pay for it.

"Sophia… Did you not hear me?" asked Abelard.

"…No… I heard you," I said, "I… Really did just want to come and see Miriam."

"Good," said Abelard, "and now that you've seen here, we can finally go."

Abelard made his way over to the door, I remained where I was, my eyes were focusing on Miriam.

"Are you coming Sophia?" asked Abelard.

"wrócę po ciebie, Miriam (I'll come back for you, Miriam)," I said under my breath.

"What was that?" asked Abelard.

"I said I'm coming," I said as I followed him out of the room.

As I turned and gave one last look at my sister, I could see that her mouth was open slightly in shock, indicating that she could catch what I had just said. What I really wanted to know though… Did she realize who I was?

The rest of the day continued, with not much happening around the camp. I managed to catch Dalton and pull him to the side, so I could let him know that I wouldn't need him to give me Barton's patterns.

"Wait, you mean you found the girl? You've found your sister?" he asked, "how?"

"Let's just say I can be persuasive," I said.

Dalton didn't respond.

"Either way… I've found my sister… Now all I need to do is figure a way to get her out of here," I said.

"Wait… You don't want to leave empty handed, do you?" asked Dalton.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Where are, you going with this?" I asked.

"The prisoners… They told you about the experimentations that are going on in this camp, right?" asked Dalton.

I gave him a hard stare.

"…Uh… I'll take that as a yes," he said as he scratched the back of his head, "listen, those experiments that are going on in this camp… I don't know if the prisoners told you what's been going on, but trust me when I say that some of the experiments that go on here… Have been really fucked up."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Fucked up how?" I asked.

Dalton looked around the camp and motioned for me to follow him somewhere quiet, without having to deal with the problem of any possible eavesdroppers. I know that it would be a problem for him… But as for me, being an Assassin, I've been trained to pick out… Shady characters. Regardless, I continued to follow Dalton so I could listen to what he had to say.

"Are you familiar with something called… A Technomancer?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow.

"A what?" I asked.

"A Technomancer, some kind of uh… Special person who's supposedly trained to wield strange artifacts or some other nonsense," said Dalton, "I overheard Barton talking to Commander Berand one night, talking to him about trying to find out which one of the prisoners had some kind of special gene in his or her body… A gene that allows them to come in contact with strange artifacts and use them without harm, like some uh… tracker thing… Tracer! Something called a Matrix Tracer."

I felt my heart skip a beat. The piece of the tracer was here?

"I've… Never heard of a Technomancer," I said.

"Huh… Weird, I thought for a moment you might've," said Dalton, "I mean… given who you are and all, hehe…"

I didn't say anything.

"Sorry, I'm not getting anywhere huh? Look, all I'm saying is that there may be some important documents that the Templars have locked away in their infirmary," said Dalton, "maybe you could break in, find them and snatch 'em. Who knows? Maybe whatever the documents will contain might help your friends reach your goal… Whatever it is."

I won't lie, as much as I wanted to shrug off his suggestion, I couldn't help but feel that Dalton may have a point, if there really are experiments going on, experiments involving a piece of the tracer, there's bound to be documents of containing information on the results, right?

"But wait… How are we going to be able to get our hands on those documents?" I asked, "I'm sure that they're going to be kept locked away in some top-secret file cabinet."

Dalton smiled.

"You're right, they might be in a top-secret file cabinet, and who do you think probably has information on such a thing?" he asked.

I smiled back at Dalton.

"I think you and I both know," I said.

Dalton gave me a smirk.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked.

"Keep watch on Barton, let me know when he's about to move again so we can catch him when he least expects it," I said.

"Where will you be going?" asked Dalton.

I looked around the camp for a moment.

"To look for a friend," I said.

"Alright, I'll find you when Barton's about to move," he said.

I gave Dalton a nod and hurried off to go find the Russian Assassin. I searched everywhere on these godforsaken grounds for the man, but I couldn't pick up his trail. That was when I realized…

 _"Maybe Barton moved him,"_ I thought.

And if Barton had the Assassin moved, that meant…

 _"Aw crap,"_ I thought.

I went to go find Dalton, who was keeping a close eye on Barton like he was instructed. When I went to go tap on his shoulder, he jumped and turned around fast, preparing to throw a punch at my face. I caught him by the wrist.

"Hey, hey! It's me," I said.

"Oh, hi," said Dalton, "sorry, I thought you might've been someone else."

I gave Dalton a look and lightly slapped him.

"Would you cool it?" I asked, "if you start going around the camp like there's someone watching you from every angle, the Templars are going to get suspicious. So, keep yourself together alright?"

Dalton nodded.

"Good, now I need your help," I said, "what's Barton doing?"

Dalton turned.

"Uh… Nothing major, he just seems to be talking to someone," he said, "a guy wearing the same armband as him… except he seems like he's carrying a lot more authority."

I looked over at Barton and the man he was talking to, I activated my eagle vision and gasped, seeing the man give off a solid gold glow. He wasn't just any ordinary man, he was the warden! He had to be!

 _"So, the warden of the camp happens to be a Templar,"_ I thought, _"no wonder this place seems so organized, the Templars are known for keeping these kinds of structures in check… secured."_

"Why do you need to know what Barton's up to?" asked Dalton.

I didn't say anything, instead I motioned for him to stay where he was and made my way over to Barton and the warden, who were positioned right next to a building across from where I was with Dalton. I didn't want to look suspicious just standing around listening in on their conversation, so I did the only thing that an Assassin would do: I climbed up on the roof of the building so I could get a better listen.

 _"Closer… Closer…"_ I thought as I inched closer towards the ledge of the roof.

I was practically right on top of them, I closed my eyes and focused, closing off all the other sounds around me as my senses started to become stronger… Sharper, until the only thing I could hear was them.

"Wie geht es dem Gefangenen (How's the prisoner)?" asked Barton.

"Er ist stabil (He's stable)," said the warden, "Blutig, aber er ist stabil (bloodied, but he's stable)."

"Ausgezeichnet (Excellent)," said Barton, "Er kann uns nichts sagen, wenn er tot oder aufgeschlossen ist (he can't tell us anything if he's dead or concussed)."

I said nothing, I kept listening.

"Also hat er etwas gesagt? Sie wissen über den Verbleib des anderen Stückes an den Tracer (So has he said anything? You know about the whereabouts of the other piece to the Tracer)?" asked the warden.

My eyes went wide. A piece of the Tracer? In Russia!?

"Nein. Er hat mir nichts erzählt. Der Großmeister war recht, diese Sowjets sind harte Nüsse zu knacken. Frage der Angelegenheit ist, wie lange es dauert, bis er die Zeit, die er in diesen Mauern hat, für ihn aushalten wird, um offiziell zu knacken (No. He hasn't told me anything. The Grandmaster was right, these Soviets are tough nuts to crack. Question of the matter is how long it'll take for him to endure the amount of time he's inside of these walls for him to officially crack)," said Barton.

I rolled my eyes, it was obvious that being inside of these walls won't make a Soviet crack so easily. Especially if the Soviet happens to be an Assassin.

"Sprich von dem Stück zum Tracer ... Wie kommen die Experimente (Speak of the piece to the Tracer... How are the experiments coming along)?" asked Barton, "Haben wir viel Glück gefunden (have we had much luck finding one)?"

I raised an eyebrow. Finding one? Did he mean finding a Technomancer?

"Nein. Wir haben durch Gefangene gegangen, und keiner von ihnen hat die Reaktion gehabt, die wir wissen müssen, wenn einer von ihnen ist (No. We've gone through scores of prisoners and not one of them has had the reaction we need to know if one of them is it)," said the warden.

"Verdammt! Der Großmeister will das nicht hören, wir müssen weiter versuchen (Dammit! The Grandmaster doesn't want to hear that, we need to keep trying)!" snapped Barton, "Hey ... Hey, was ist mit dem polnischen Mädchen? Äh ... Liora war es? (hey... Hey what about that Polish girl? Uh... Liora was it)?"

I felt my stomach fall to my lower intestines.

"Was ist mit dem verdammten Mädchen (What about the damn girl)?" asked the warden.

"Warum versuchen wir sie nicht (Why don't we try her)?" asked Barton.

I felt my face get hot.

"Bist du verrückt? Wir können sie nicht als Testobjekt benutzen, haben Sie eine Ahnung, was der Kommandant mit uns machen wird, wenn er herausfindet, dass wir gegen seine Befehle gegangen sind, um sie am Leben zu erhalten (Are you crazy? We can't use her as a test subject, do you have any idea what the commander will do to us if he finds out that we went against his orders to keep her alive)?" asked the warden, "Er wird unsere Häute haben (he'll have our hides)."

I heard Barton chuckle.

"Mach dir keine Sorgen, ich komme mit einer guten Cover-Geschichte (Don't worry, I'll come up with a good cover story)," he said, "Jetzt komm schon, lass uns gehen (now come on, let's go get her)."

I clenched my fists tightly.

 _"Pieprzyć to (Fuck this),"_ I said as my right hidden blade shot out.

I dropped down from the rooftop and brought the warden down to the ground, without warning, I brought my blade up and prepared to kill him when I stopped.

 _"…No. Keep a low profile,"_ I thought.

So instead I retracted my blade and struck the warden in the back, knocking him unconscious. I rose to my feet and looked at Barton, who seemed… Shocked to see me.

"You!" he exclaimed, "w-where did you come from!? W-What are you doing here!?"

"That's for me to know… And for you to never find out," I said in a dark tone.

I looked up at Barton.

"And speaking of knowing… I wonder how Commander Abelard will react when he knows about how you were about to go against his orders?" I asked as I tilted my head to the right curiously.

Barton gasped and took a step back.

"Oh yeah… I heard the whole conversation between you and the warden," I said as I walked over to Barton.

Without warning, I grabbed him by his coat collar and pressed my right hand to his stomach, I felt him become stiff as the tip of my hidden blade poked him, lightly.

"Yeah… I wonder how the commander will react when I tell him what you guys planned to do?" I asked, "maybe he'll court martial you… Maybe he'll have you lock you up for disobeying his command… Maybe he'll kill you."

Barton didn't say anything, he just tried to stay still and keep calm without breaking out into a panic.

"Oooooo… Maybe I should save him the trouble and kill you myself," I said in a satisfying tone, "you know, seeing's how I found you both first and… Well, you know the adage, "Finders keepers"."

This time, Barton spoke up.

"Alright, alright, I get it, I get it," he said in a shaking tone, "just… Just tell me what you want alright? There's no need to spill any blood."

I frowned and whipped my right arm down, causing my hidden blade to shoot out.

"First, bitch, I'll spill blood when I want to," I said, threateningly, "and second, as for what I want… I want two things from you. The location of that Assassin being held prisoner, and who's the madman that's conducting the experiments on these prisoners?"

Barton raised an eyebrow.

"W-Wait… What? That's it?" he asked in confusion, "why do you want to know-"

But he was cut off as I stabbed him in the side. Barton grimaced and gritted his teeth tightly as he struggled not to scream out in pain.

"Don't question me, Dummkopf (idiot)," I whispered threateningly, "tell me where the Assassin is and tell me who's conducting these experiments."

"Rrg… Fuck… He's… He's in the infirmary… The one where the special guest is located," groaned Barton, "he's under heavy guard while he's recovering from the beating you gave him."

"And the madman behind the experiments?" I asked, pushing the blade in deeper.

"Rrg…! I-I-It's a doctor… A German Doctor," groaned Barton, "someone by the name of uh… Meng-something-"

I pushed the blade in deeper.

"Argh! Josef Mengele!" he cried out, "it's Josef Mengele!"

I pulled my blade out and retracted it, I let Barton go; he dropped to his knees and pressed down on his wound.

"You breathe a word of this to anyone, including Commander Abelard," I said as I got down and grabbed him by his coat collar, "I will personally hunt you down and give you a new meaning of pain and suffering."

My hidden blade shot out and I poked Barton in the neck with the tip of it.

"Because I'll make sure that you stay awake long enough to feel every single cut… That I leave on your body, you piece of shit," I said in a dark tone, "do you understand me? I will make one cut after another all over your body and I will make sure that you stay awake to witness it."

Barton started to shiver as I stared into his eyes, my words began to soak in.

"Who… Who are you?" he asked, fearfully.

I leaned in close, my stare had intensified.

"…Der Todesengel (The angel of death)," I said as I released him.

I turned and walked away, leaving Barton and the warden with each other to collect themselves after that ordeal. Dalton, who was still waiting like I had requested, turned his head as he heard me approach.

"Hey, there you are," he said, "where've you been? I've been waiting for like fifteen to twenty minutes."

I didn't say anything to Dalton, I was just staring down at the ground in silence.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked as he reached for my shoulder.

In a flash, I reached up and grabbed his wrist.

"Berühre mich nicht (Don't touch me)," I said softly, "I need… I need to sit down."

Dalton stepped back and watched as I sat down, I pressed my back against the building and hung my head. I started breathing funny… It wasn't rapid… It wasn't hard… It was… Shaken. I looked at my hands; they were shaking too. I closed them into tight fists, hoping to get the shaking to stop.

"You okay?" asked Dalton, "you look like you just witnessed a murder."

I still didn't say anything. I just looked at my hands in silence.

 _"…I just threatened that guy… Barton… As if he was Abelard himself…"_ I thought, _"…that wasn't… That wasn't a normal threat either… I would… I would never say something like that to anyone, whether if they're friend_ _ **or**_ _foe."_

I hung my head again and took a deep breath before letting it out in a long exhale.

 _"…First I savagely beat down an Assassin… Then I threaten Dalton on how his superiors would punish him if they found out about his interaction with me… Now this…"_ I thought, _"and what's more is that… the way I've been interacting with these Templars and their allies…What's… Happening to me?"_


	39. Chapter 38: Planning the escape

Chapter 38

Planning the escape

It was the final day. The final day of my mission here in this hellish camp. I stood outside, waiting for my ride to come and pull me out along with my older sister. There was just one problem though…

"Ariela, what the hell? Where's your sister?" asked Jake, "where's Miriam?"

"…I can't leave yet," I said.

Jake's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"Are you fucking crazy!?" he exclaimed.

"Would you keep it down?" asked Kenneth, "we don't want to draw any attention to ourselves."

I stifled a giggle.

"Are you fucking crazy!?" Jake exclaimed in a lower voice.

"Jake, I just caught wind of some crazy shit that the Templars are doing here within this camp, crazy shit involving a piece to The Tracer," I said, "what's more is that there's another Assassin here, one our Soviet brothers from Russia. If I had to guess, I'd say he's here for the piece as well."

Jake's expression changed at that moment.

"There's a piece of The Tracer here?" he asked.

I nodded.

"And… Exactly what kind of crazy shit could the Templars be doing with it?" asked Jake.

"I don't know, all I heard was that they gave it to some German doctor named uh… Josef Mengele," I said, "I heard that they've been using the piece to see if the prisoners might be some kind of special warrior… A Technomancer they call it."

Jake turned pale.

"Oh, good god," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Ari, get in the truck," he said.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Just get in the fucking truck," ordered Jake.

I looked up at one of the watch towers and then I looked at the wall surrounding the camp before looking at Jake again. I let out a sigh and went around to the passenger side, climbing into the vehicle in the process. Jake rolled the windows up.

"What's the problem?" I asked.

"The problem is that the game has changed this time," said Jake, "if what you say is true, if the Templars have been experimenting on the prisoners in hopes of trying to find out who might be a Technomancer, and if they do have a piece of The Tracer here, then you need to get it. As well as any files that they might have on Technomancers and what they're capable of."

I was shocked, I didn't think that Jake would respond this way.

"Wait… Are you saying that you're extending the deadline of my mission?" I asked.

Jake nodded.

"This mission has become vital now Ariela, you need to get that piece before the Nazis and Templars find out who might be a Technomancer. If they do, then this will be a very short war," he said.

I swallowed.

"W-What? What do you mean a very short war?" I asked.

"I can't explain now, but I will say this… We'll give you another three days to gather the intel that you need," said Jake.

"Another three days?" I asked.

Jake nodded. I reached forward and hugged him.

"Thank you," I said.

I reached for the car door and pulled the handle.

"Hey," said Jake.

I turned my head.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Jake gave me a look.

"…Jake, I'm fine," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked, "it's okay if you're not, I can come with you on this mission."

I shook my head.

"No… I need to do this alone," I said, "besides, I managed to make a friend during my stay."

Jake looked at me for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"…Alright," he said, "but if you feel like you can't handle it…"

"Jake," I said, "…I'm fine."

Jake gave me a nod.

"…Alright," he said, "just… Be careful, kiddo."

I turned and looked at Jake. That expression on his face… He was really worried for me. I let out a sigh and moved in close to his side.

"A-Ariel-"

But I cut him off as I kissed him on the lips.

"Mmf!?" he exclaimed in shock.

I pulled back and looked at Jake again.

"Something to think about," I said with a reassuring smile.

Jake blushed and watched as I hopped out of the truck. I made my way towards the gate entrance and headed back into the camp, where I proceeded to find someplace secluded to sit down and look up at the sky. I put my hand to my face, it was hot.

 _"…Something to think about…"_ I thought, _"…Who are you trying to fool Ari?"_

I squirmed in place, the feeling of Jake's lips pressed against mine, sent chills down my spine.

 _"Nyyaahhh! Why did I do that!?"_ I thought as I pulled my head down between my knees and whimpered, _"I don't know who was more affected, me or Jake!"_

"Silver Blade?" asked a voice.

I looked up fast. It was Dalton.

"Sorry, I should've said something as I was walking over to you," he said as he put a hand up.

I didn't say anything, I just put my head back down and groaned.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

"…Ich habe mich verpasst (I fucked up)," I said.

"What happened?" asked Dalton.

I didn't say anything, I just let out another groan.

"Hey, come on, you can talk to me," Dalton said as he sat down, "we're uh… We're friends, right?"

I looked at Dalton.

"…Have you ever been in a situation… Where you have the hots for two people?" I asked, "one whom you know and another you know because you met him out in the field and you spared him?"

Dalton gave me a confused look.

"Uh… Not really, no," he said, "why?"

I let out a sigh and looked down at the ground.

"…Just curious," I said.

"Oh," said Dalton, "say… Weren't you supposed to like… Leave this place tonight? Like… Seconds ago?"

I shook my head.

"I can't yet," I said, "I still have work to do."

"What? What else is there to do here?" asked Dalton, "I mean you found your sister, you got the research docume-Oh… Oh!"

I gave Dalton a nod.

"My allies gave me three more days, which will give me enough time to find the documents, grab them, and then plan my escape from this hellish place," I said.

"Well if you're going to escape, you're going to need some help," said Dalton, "I'll see if I can't rally a few more sympathizers to help out."

I gave Dalton a confused look.

"Sympathizers?" I asked, "there's more here in this camp?"

Dalton nodded.

"Once I find them and gather them, I'll introduce you to them," he said with a reassuring smile.

I raised an eyebrow, giving Dalton a skeptical look.

"How do I know that this isn't some kind of trick?" I asked, "how do I know that this isn't some ruse to get me to let my guard down so that way you'll prepare an ambush for me?"

Dalton's eyes widened with shock.

"That hurts, I thought that you would be more courteous and compliment me for planning to search for more allies to help with your mission, Silver Blade," he said, feeling hurt.

I looked at Dalton for a moment after he stopped talking and sighed.

"…My name is Ariela," I said.

Dalton jumped to his feet and looked at me.

"Ariela Liora," I said, "Silver Blade is only a nickname."

"Wait… Ariela Liora?" asked Dalton, " _the_ Ariela Liora?"

I nodded.

"Yeah… Why?" I asked.

"So, you're the one that Commander Berand mentioned," said Dalton, "the one who was responsible for the destruction of _The Hearth_."

I frowned.

"Why do people always bring that event up?" I muttered to myself as I facepalmed.

I turned my head back at Dalton and saw he had extended a hand.

"Listen, for what it's worth, that was a pretty gutsy move," he said with a smile.

I raised an eyebrow before clasping and shaking his hand.

"Also, I was wondering… When this is over… When I help you and your sister get out of here… I want to extend my services even further," he said.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Further?" I asked, "how?"

"I want to join your crusade," said Dalton.

My eyes widened, then I shook my head in confusion.

"Wait… Are you saying you want to join me? Or join the brotherhood?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" he asked, "look, what you did to the Templar's carrier put a major dent in their means of support for the Germans. Not only do they have aircraft carriers where they've been constructing experimental aircraft, but I've heard rumors about how they've been constructing other weapons of war… Dangerous weapons."

I raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know this?" I asked.

Dalton shrugged.

"You kind of pick out a few conversations of interest when you're patrolling the camp grounds," he said.

I paused.

"…Alright, I'll think about it," I said, "but you still have to prove to me that I can trust you before I can even consider letting you join me."

Dalton gave me an affirmative nod. I rose to my feet.

"Now come on, there's someone that I must see," I said.

Dalton followed close behind as I made my way to the infirmary when… I bumped into the warden. I felt my heart skip a beat as I stared into his eyes. He didn't look happy… Not even a little.

"You… Hunter," he said firmly.

"Y-Yes sir?" I asked.

"…I couldn't help but overhear an eyewitness that you've been going throughout the camp… Asking questions… Threatening some of your own," he said, "mind telling me what that's all about?"

I quietly swallowed. Jestem pieprzony (I'm fucking screwed), unless if I try to find a way out of this situation.

"Well?" the warden asked as he crossed his arms.

I opened my mouth to speak, when suddenly, Dalton stepped forward.

"She was protecting me sir," he said, "you know how some of the other guards like to… You know… Get a little rough with me. Or _my_ types rather."

I looked at Dalton like he was crazy as he spoke.

"Your types?" asked the warden, "some of the other guards?"

"Yeah, you know us members of the SS… Getting hazed by your Templars and such," said Dalton, "she was just telling them to back off or she would have to hurt them is all."

The warden turned his attention back over to me.

"…Is this true?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Yes sir," I said.

The warden paused, then he leaned in close to me. I struggled not to cringe as the scent of cigarette ash wafted into my nose.

"I hope for your sake, hunter… I would hate to think… That you weren't a hunter… And were in fact a spy… For the enemy," he said in a low voice.

I quietly swallowed again.

"Understood sir," I said.

The warden walked away. I looked at Dalton, who turned and gave me a smile.

"Bitte (You're welcome)," he said.

I smirked and gave him a playful shove.

"Schieben Sie es nicht (Don't push it)," I said.

Dalton and I continued to make our way to the infirmary, where we proceeded to head inside. Before going any further, I activated my Eagle Vision so I could locate my designated target. It took me a quite a bit of time; but I could make out a figure who was shining gold, and resting in his bed.

"This way," I said as I headed towards my destination.

Unfortunately, as we drew closer, I stopped. There were two Templars standing guard. I frowned.

 _"Damn,"_ I thought, _"this is going to be a problem."_

I pondered for a moment, wondering how I was going to pull the Templars away. I planned on taking one of them out with my hidden gun, but if I did that, then I would have to quickly take out the second, or else he would wind up going to call security.

 _"…Unless,"_ I thought.

I smirked and motioned for Dalton to wait as I made my way over to the door. Sure enough, the guards caught my attention.

"Hey, weren't you the one that slapped me on the ass?" I asked the Templar on the right.

"W-What?" he asked.

I got up close and looked him right in the face.

"You look familiar," I said as I squinted my eyes.

Suddenly, I punched him in the stomach and clocked him right in the jaw, knocking him unconscious. The guard on the left jumped back.

"Are you fucking insane!?" he exclaimed.

"Sorry, but I don't like it when people put their grubby hands on me," I said.

The Templar looked down at his friend, and then he looked at me.

"Hey, since I have your attention, do you think that I could go see the prisoner?" I asked.

"W-What? N-N-No!" he exclaimed, "no, you crazy broad of course not!"

In a flash, I grabbed the Templar by the collar and pulled him close to my face.

"Okay, this is how this is going to work, you're going to open this door in the next ten seconds before I knock you on the floor and scream vergewaltigen (rape)," I said in a dark tone.

The Templar started to turn pale, then he gave me a skeptical look.

"You're bluffing," he said.

I smiled. Within seconds, I drove my knee into his gut and knocked him onto the floor.

"Hilfe! Hilfe! Jemand hilft mir (Help! Help! Someone help me)!" I screamed as I started to tear my top open, "vergewaltigen! Ver-"

Suddenly, the Templar clasped his hands over my mouth.

"Shh! Shh! Shh!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper, "are you fucking craz-Oof!"

The Templar went down as I kicked him in the stomach.

"Vergewaltigen! Vergewaltigen (Rape! Rape)!" I screamed as I kept tearing at my own clothes.

This time, the Templar grabbed me and pinned me to the wall, clasping his hand over my mouth once again.

"Shh! Shh! Alright, alright, alright!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper, "I'll let you see the prisoner, just shut up!"

I gave him a big smile.

"Thank you," I said.

The Templar let me go and went to unlock the door while I started to get dressed once again and straighten myself out. When he opened the door, I happily walked into the room, while he closed the door behind me.

 _"Well that was fun,"_ I thought.

I looked over at a bed right before me. Lying under the covers, in a deep sleep, was that Russian Assassin. My Soviet brother. I looked at the door, then I looked back at the Assassin and approached, pulling my mask down so that my full face was exposed.

"I know you're not asleep," I said in a low voice.

Nothing happened for a moment; but then the Assassin opened his eyes and sat up, he looked at me and stretched.

"How'd you know that I wasn't asleep?" he asked.

"Because if you were, you wouldn't be sleeping all curled up on your side," I said.

The Assassin chuckled to himself.

"Heh… Not bad, kid, not bad," he said, "I see that you learned well from your time in the brotherhood."

I shrugged and smiled.

"Well… I don't like to brag," I said as I pulled up a chair and sat down next to him, "so, first let's get the names out of the way."

The Assassin chuckled.

"Viktor. Antoly Viktor," he said, "and you are?"

I looked over at the door, then I looked back at Antoly.

"Sophia Adele," I said.

Antoly chuckled.

"That's a pretty name," he said, "that might work on those idiots, but unfortunately your German accent is a bit… Flawed. What surprises me is that the Templars haven't caught onto you with the accent you've been carrying around the camp."

I frowned.

"Now, what's your real name, Izgoy?" he asked.

I didn't know what he just said, but I knew it had to have been something insulting. I looked over at the door again and then back at Antoly. I took my hat off and undid my hair, letting it fall to my shoulders.

"Ariela. My name is Ariela Liora," I said.

Antoly smiled.

"Now that is a beautiful name, for a beautiful woman," he said with a chuckle, "and I see that your accent is a lot different by the way I'm hearing you talk."

"I'm Polish, with German blood," I said, "I'm sure you understand why my accent seems a bit… mixed."

"Ah," he said, "well, now that we've gotten the introductions out of the way, let's get down to business. So, what made you want to stop by and visit me, Izgnannyy? Come to give me another beat down? Because to be honest, I've felt worse when I underwent training."

"Ha-ha, Das war so lustig, ich habe vergessen, wie man lacht (that was so funny I forgot how to laugh)," I said as I rolled my eyes, "I didn't come here to beat you up again, I came here to talk."

Antoly raised an eyebrow.

"Talk, eh?" he asked, "not sure if you know this kiddo, but I'm not really the talkin' type."

"But I am," I said, "and if you ask me, I think it's a little strange to see one of my brothers from Russia here in a concentration camp."

Antoly sat up and gave me a look.

"And why would you find it strange exactly?" he asked.

"Because if memory serves me, Assassins don't usually move into German territory or inside of German structures without reason," I said, "whether if it's to assassinate a high-valued target, or if they've been assigned to nab some important documents."

I leaned forward and smiled.

"Or maybe they were assigned to swipe an important artifact," I said.

Antoly laid back and let out a sigh. He knew I was onto him.

"…You got captured on purpose, didn't you?" I asked as I leaned back in my chair.

"Good guess," he said, "what about you? What are you in for?"

"I'm here to save my sister," I said.

"Your sister?" Antoly asked in an amused tone, "heh, don't tell me that you actually plan to rescue her and try to escape."

"Huh?" I asked, "why do you have to say it like that?"

"Because escaping this place is near impossible, and with the Templars backing the Germans, escape is practically impossible," he said.

I raised an eyebrow.

"What's the difference?" I asked.

"Simple, on the one hand had it been just Germans, you'd have a slight chance of escape, if you only walked away with only a few shots to nothing vital on your body," said Antoly, "as for the practically impossible… Well, I'm sure I shouldn't have to explain it."

I frowned. That wasn't very reassuring.

"Trust me, kid, there's no getting your sister out of here," he said, "the only wise thing for you to do right now is to just escape by yourself."

I clenched my fists tightly. But I closed my eyes and let out a long breath.

"…Then why don't you help me and my sister escape?" I asked.

Antoly gave me a look, like I had said something crazy… In this case, I might as well have said something crazy.

"Are you nuts? If trying to escape with just you and your sister presents a small chance of getting out of here alive, how big of a chance do you think you'll have if you add me to the mix?" he asked.

I groaned.

"Look, just hear me out alright?" I asked, "I overheard where the Templars are keeping the piece to The Tracer, and more importantly, I know who's been using it."

Viktor sat up.

"…Go on," he said.

"You want to get your hands on the piece to The Tracer, I want to get my sister out of here alive," I said, "not only that, but I also need to get my hands on some important documents that the Templars have locked away somewhere in the camp. If I manage to get the piece to The Tracer and get the documents, would you be willing to help me get my sister out of here?"

Antoly said nothing for a moment, he just scratched his beard. I wasn't sure if he was deep in thought, or something else.

"…And you're insistent on this?" he asked.

"I'm not leaving my sister to suffer in this living hell," I said firmly.

"Of course, you're not," he said, "…very well, I'll help you."

I smiled and shook hands with Viktor.

"You get the piece to The Tracer first, then… I'll help you get your sister out of here," he said.

"Deal," I said as I stood up.

"However, if this escape is going to be a success… I'm going to need my equipment," said Viktor, "my robes, my armor, my weapons, everything. I won't be of much used to you if I'm not fully armed."

"I understand," I said as I stood up and prepared to go.

I fixed my hair up again, put my hat back on and pulled my mask up and over my face.

"By the way… You're the one that destroyed _The Hearth,_ right?" asked Antoly.

I paused before giving him a nod.

"Yeah… Why?" I asked.

Antoly chuckled.

"No reason," he said, "but uh… Word of advice… You might want to watch your back in here. If the Templars find out who you are…"

"They won't," I said as I turned and walked out of the room.

As I closed the door behind me, I looked over at the guard, who was still standing outside. The guard looked at me.

 _"Oh, I'm going to let him have it,"_ I thought.

I clapped my hands right in front of his face, making the guard let out a surprised gasp and flinch in shock.

"Eyes up here," I said as I walked away.

I regrouped with Dalton, who was waiting patiently for me.

"Hey, how did your me-"

I cut Dalton off by clapping my hand over his mouth and leading him out of the infirmary so we could talk in private.

"Well?" he asked as I took my hand off.

"The Assassin agreed to help us, but first I need to grab the piece to The Tracer," I said.

"Oh… That may be a problem," said Dalton.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's day time, the location of where Mengle's laboratory is under heavy guard," said Dalton, "if I might suggest, I would recommend that we wait until the evening."

I nodded in agreement.

"Then evening it is," I said.


	40. Chapter 39: Warsztat diabła

Chapter 39

Warsztat diabła

Dusk had fallen over the camp. The prisoners had gone to sleep, and the guards had exchanged shifts with one another. I had just woken up from a much needed nap and got dressed before heading outside to meet Dalton, who was waiting for me.

"Bereit (Ready)?" he asked.

"Ja (Yeah)," I said.

I followed Dalton towards the location of Megele's lab. True to Dalton's word, the lab was a lot less guarded at night, I could only guess that it's heavily guarded during the day because they didn't want to run the risk of any inmates becoming too "curious" and finding out what goes on behind those closed doors.

Dalton motioned for me to follow him, which I happily obliged. Of course, we had to stop and look around a few times, to see if any guards were nearby. Didn't want to draw any possible attention to ourselves, you know? Anyway… We made our way to the door of the building, Dalton wrapped his hand around the doorknob and gave it a light turn. Nothing happened.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's locked," he said.

I scoffed.

"No it isn't," I said as I pushed him out of the way.

But when I went for the doorknob and turned it, the doorknob didn't budge.

"The fuck? It is locked," I said.

"Told you," Dalton said with a smug grin.

I elbowed him in the chest.

"Sei nicht ein weiser Esel (Don't be a wise-ass)," I said.

"Jeez, sorry," said Dalton, "look, can't we just break into the building?"

I looked at Dalton like he was crazy.

"Yeah, that's a great idea Dalton, "Let's break into the laboratory like we're a couple of common criminals"," I said in a sarcastic tone.

With a flick of my wrist, my right wrist blade shot out.

"Look, just keep an eye out if anyone's coming," I said as I got down on one knee, "this shouldn't take long."

"Wait, you're actually going to pick the lock?" asked Dalton.

"I said keep an eye out, you moron," I said firmly.

"Okay, okay," he said as he turned away from me.

I turned my attention towards the doorknob and drove the tip of my blade into the keyhole, trying to jimmy the lock. I let out a few annoyed grunts and groans, as I tried to kind the lock's "weak point".

 _"Chodź, kawałek gówna (Come on, you piece of shit),"_ I thought.

"Any luck?" asked Dalton.

"No," I said as I kept working.

"…How about now?" asked Dalton.

"No," I said as I kept working.

"…Now?" asked Dalton.

"No," I said firmly.

"…Did you get it now-"

"Dalton, unless words out of your mouth is a warning, letting me know that someone's coming, I'm going to punch you right in the stomach," I interrupted as I whirled around.

Dalton swallowed and zipped his lip. I turned back towards the door knob and kept working on picking the lock.

 _"Come on… Come on…"_ I thought as I kept jimmying the lock.

Suddenly…

 ** _CLICK!_**

I gasped and smiled. The door was unlocked.

"I'm the best," I said as I rose to my feet.

Dalton turned as I opened the door. I motioned for him to follow me inside. I quietly closed the door behind me and looked around. It was dark inside of the building. Very dark.

 _"Heh, shouldn't be a problem for me, since I have-"_

But I was cut off as I felt a hand… Grab me somewhere. I let out a muffled squeak and felt myself freeze up.

"Ariela? Is that you?" asked Dalton.

I felt my face get hot, as Dalton started squeezing my breasts in his hands. Instead of responding, I just grabbed him by the wrist and started slapping his face with his hands.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" yelped Dalton.

"Put your hands on me like that again and I'll make sure that you'll never be able to jerk off again," I said as I released him.

"Jeez, sorry," he said, "are you always this aggressive towards men?"

I felt my face get hot again.

"Or are you just hostile towards me because of my affiliation?" he asked.

"Now hang on a second, what are you imply-"

But I stopped short as I felt something was… Off.

"What's wrong-"

"Shh," I said.

Dalton and I stood in the dark for a few moments. I couldn't make heads or tails of this feeling I got… But… Something was telling me… Something was telling me…

"Ari-"

But Dalton was cut off as I took him by the hand. I activated my Eagle Vision, allowing me to see my way through the dark.

"Bleib ruhig (Keep quiet)," I whispered as I kept moving through the building.

Together, Dalton and I moved through the darkness, with me playing the role of the guide as I followed… Some kind of trail. Whatever trail I was following, it was leading me towards… A door?

 _"I wonder…"_ I thought.

I looked up. Sure enough, I could make out the distinct white glow of numerous figures above us, each one of them sleeping in their own respective beds either by themselves or with one or two other people. I looked back at the door.

 _"This building is a lot larger than I thought. If that's the case… Dalton and I must be on the main floor, while there's at least a good… two or three floors above us,"_ I thought as I looked back at the door, _"and if that's the case…"_

I reached for the doorknob and gave it a slight turn. It was locked. I frowned.

"Sounds like it's locked," whispered Dalton, "going to pick it again?"

Instead of responding, I looked down at my right wrist blade, and pondered for a moment. After about a minute, I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a small bullet. I loaded the small round into my hidden gun and took aim.

"Ari, what are you do-"

 _BANG!_

The shot was fired, the sound of wood being punctured and metal impacting against metal was heard as the bullet went through the door, spraying a few bits of wood at me. I reached for the doorknob and turned it again. I found myself smiling when I felt the door was able to be opened.

 _"This thing is awesome,"_ I thought.

"Ari, are you insane!?" Dalton exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"No, I just don't want to waste time," I said, "now come on."

I started making my way down the steps, my hand was placed on the railing, as to help keep myself from slipping and falling in the dark. I heard footsteps right behind me, indicating that Dalton was following me. Together, the two of us made our way to the bottom, I looked to my left and saw a faint light coming from behind the corner. I moved around the corner and froze. It was a faintly lit hall… With metal doors on each side… metal doors with a small window slot near the top. I looked down at the floor and realized that it was purely made of stone. The walls appeared to be stained… Stained with long streaks of blood. There was an unpleasant stench that hung in the air… The stench of death. It was enough to send a cold chill up my spine.

If there's a hell… I was about to enter it. I activated my Eagle Vision and gasped when I saw… A number of pale white glowing figures, each of them in a room either lying on the floor or curled up in a corner. Some of the figures were moving… But not in a human-like manner… No. They were moving, in almost a… twisted grotesque-like manner. I started to shiver as I heard someone banging on their door and screaming like a madman, demanding to be let out. Now… Even with the horrors I've seen since I joined the Assassins… Even after the things I've done. I have to be honest… I never felt so terrified in my life. Whoever this Josef Mengle was… Whatever he was doing to these prisoners… It wasn't normal. No… To say, "It wasn't normal", would be putting it lightly. To say, "It was inhumane", wouldn't do it justice either.

"…There is… Evil down here," I said in a fearful voice.

I loaded both of the guns in my wrist blades and slowly made my way down the hall, making my way to the lab. Dalton followed.

"Dalton… If there's anything you want to tell me about this… Josef Mengle… Now would be the time to spill it," I said in a low voice.

Dalton didn't say anything. It's not that I wanted him to tell me anything, I didn't really expect him to tell me anything to be quite honest, if anything, that statement was primarily rhetorical. Besides, this monster could tell me more about himself personally once I meet him. And thus, Dalton and I kept walking in silence. Not a word was said between us as we walked past the rooms holding the… Well… I guess I can't really call them prisoners anymore, now can I?

As we drew closer and closer towards the laboratory door, my Eagle Vision was able to make out two figures on the other side. One figure was giving off a golden glow. The other was giving off a white glow. I didn't need to think about who was who. I motioned for Dalton to keep quiet as I put my ear to the door and listened.

"No! No! Please!"

"Now, now, there's no need to be afraid."

"Afraid!? Are you mad!? I've heard of what kind of sick, twisted horrors you've been doing to your "patients" down here, you fucking psychopath!"

"Now, now, there's no need for name calling. And there's certainly no need for pointing fingers and making false accusations."

"False accusations! They're not false accusations, you bastard! It's the cold-hearted…! What is that?"

"Just a little souvenir that a few friends of mine got for me to play with. I think you might enjoy it."

I saw Josef walk over to the man, holding something in his hands.

 _"The piece!"_ I thought.

"Come on, let's get in there and grab it," whispered Dalton.

I motioned for Dalton to wait.

"Not yet," I whispered, "I want to see this experiment at work first."

"See? How can you-"

"Shh," I interrupted.

"Get that away from me! Get that thing away from me! I heard about what that thing did to the others! I-I-It turned them into twisted, monstrous, creatures!"

"Now, now… There's no need to panic. It's just a simple experiment. To see if there's a different reaction with different people who come in close contact with this piece of metal."

I watched as Josef held the piece up to the man, causing him to start freaking out.

"S-S-S-STOP! STOP IT! GET IT AWAY FROM ME! YOU'RE NOT TURNING ME INTO ONE OF THOSE THINGS!"

"There's no need to panic. It's just a simple experiment," said Josef.

I watched as the piece started to glow… Very brightly. The man, whom was strapped to a dental chair, started to scream and pull his head back, as if to try and pull himself out of his seat. The man started to scream even more, as the piece started to glow even brighter, and… Give off some kind of pulse. That's when things started to become… Eerie.

Josef stepped back as the man started to convulse in his chair, I watched as his body twisted and contorted, causing me to shiver as I heard his bones crack and snap repeatedly, as if they were… Trying to rearrange themselves. The man threw his head back and let out a blood curdling scream, it shifted from human… To something… Non-human. I had seen enough. I deactivated my Eagle Vision, stepped back and started banging on the door to the lab.

"DOCTOR MENGELE!" I screamed, "ÖFFNEN SIE DIESE TÜR (OPEN THIS DOOR)!"

"Can you please come back in a moment, I'm busy-"

I started banging on the door again.

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" I screamed.

Though the screams could still be heard, I was able to make out the sound of footsteps as the doctor approached. There was the sound of numerous locking mechanisms being shifted and changed; then came the sound of a door latch being pulled. Without even taking the time to look him right in the face, I jumped forward and punched the doctor right in the face, knocking him down.

"Überraschung motherfucker (Surprise motherfucker)," I said in a firm voice.

"Ari, look!" Dalton pointed out.

I looked in his direction and let out an alarmed gasp. The patient… The very same patient who was screaming in pain and convulsing… He wasn't human. Not anymore. He appeared deathly pale, with his hair being reduced to… Thin, white strands on his head. He was letting out short, raspy breaths.

"…Watch the doctor," I said as I made my way over to the patient.

Dalton nodded. I slowly drew my pistol and cocked it, readying myself if the patient tried to… Attack. Looking at the man before me, I could see his veins were giving off a distinct silvery-blue glow. It was as if his blood had been… Affected, much like the man himself. I couldn't tell if his blood had been enhanced or… What.

"…Sir?" I asked, slowly.

The man slowly raised his head. I felt the grip on my pistol start to become loose, as I saw… His face. He had razor sharp metallic teeth… His eyelids appeared to have… Disintegrated… And his eyes were no longer his own. They appeared… Metallic. Much like his teeth.

 _"What the hell?"_ I thought.

"Die now, child," said the creature.

I shivered. The way he spoke just now… It was like listening to two voices at the same time. On reflection though, I don't think that's something I should've been focusing on. Because before I could even raise my weapon, I heard the straps to the chair snap at the same time and the creature lunged at me, letting out a metallic roar.


	41. Chapter 40: Blown Cover

Chapter 40

Blown cover

"ARI!" screamed Dalton.

I let out a grunt as the creature slammed me to the ground, knocking my pistol out of my hand in the process, and started biting, I could hear its teeth gnashing together noisily as it tried to snap my face off. I pushed up against the creature, trying to keep it away; but it proved too powerful. Whatever kind of monster this thing was, it sure as hell was powerful.

"Du böse, stinkend, Biest (You evil, stinking, beast)!" I screamed.

I brought my knee up and connected it with the creature's stomach, causing it to grunt and snarl, but it wasn't enough to knock it off me. I growled and reeled my head back before throwing it forward and headbutting my opponent… Not my best idea.

"Argh!" I yelped.

If that wasn't enough, I made the mistake to let my right hand slip, giving the creature the chance to go forward and… And…

 ** _"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_**

I screamed as I felt the creature drive its teeth into my right shoulder, I felt its hands pin me down as it sank its teeth deeper into my flesh like a steel trap. The pain was unbearable, I could feel blood start pouring out fast, soaking through my clothes and spreading throughout the entire right side of my top.

"G-G-Get o-off of me," I growled as I tried to push the monster off.

But alas, my efforts to throw him off proved fruitless, as he was still able to pin me down. Suddenly, I felt the pressure in my shoulder become too great for me to bear… And before I knew it…

 _C-C-CRACK!_

That sound… That… Haunting sound… That sound was enough to make my entire body freeze up. My eyes snapped wide open in pure shock and horror as I felt my right arm start to go limp in that instant. Something else happened as well… There was a feeling inside of my chest… A feeling I couldn't describe… Like… There was a fire within me that suddenly flared to life. I felt that fire start to grow… It started to spread throughout my body, I could feel my strength start to increase dramatically, becoming greater and greater with each second, until finally…

"Get… off… of… **_ME!_** " I screamed.

Using all the strength I could muster, I brought my right hand up and grabbed onto the creature's arm. I started squeezing it tight… Tighter… Tighter… I didn't stop squeezing. I kept squeezing harder and harder until eventually…

 _CRACK!_

The creature's eyes shot wide open in surprise and immediately released his grip on me and got off. Without hesitating, I jumped to my feet and threw a powerful punch, striking the bastard in the jaw. The creature let out a grunt and shot a glare at me before taking a kick to his chest, followed by another kick that knocked it into the chair. I turned and looked over at my discarded pistol, I made a break for it and picked it up. I turned and looked over at the creature again, firing off a few rounds as it tried to stop that thing in its tracks.

To my shock and surprise, the creature was still able to get back up after I fed it half of my clip.

"You can't stop me..." said the creature.

The creature crouched down and lunged forward, slashing its razor-sharp claws at me. I rolled out of the way, brought my pistol up and prepared to fire when I stopped.

 _"No, if he didn't drop after I fed him half of my clip, it wouldn't make sense to feed him the rest,"_ I thought.

The creature turned and lunged at me again, letting out an inhuman roar. When he went for another slash, I ducked, spun and drove my elbow into its throat, stunning it for a good split second. Without hesitating, I rolled over its back and drove my elbow into its jaw, I then followed up that strike with a kick to the creature's stomach, and finally I finished it off by clocking the Pieprzyć (fucker) in the jaw. The creature stumbled a bit and struggled to regain its balance, when it did the creature turned and gave me a nasty look.

"Impossible, how are you able to harm me?" it asked.

I didn't understand what it was saying to me, but all I know is that I found myself charging and throwing a punch. The creature moved to the left, dodging my attack, but also allowing me to drive my knee into its stomach, then I finished him off with a roundhouse to his neck. The creature stumbled and fell over with a thud; but sure enough, it jumped back up and glared at me. I got in my battle stance just in time as the creature let out a roar and charged, when it went for a grab, I rolled over its back and landed right behind it. Without losing momentum, I stuck the creature in the leg with a leg sweep, causing it to stumble and allowing me to go up and grab the bitch from behind, putting him in a headlock.

"Usłyszymy, jak wygląda twoja kark, kiedy ją przybijam, prawda (Let's hear what your neck sounds like when I snap it, shall we)?" I asked.

The creature started thrashing, but I held it in my grip as tight as I could. Then with one quick jerk, there was a loud popping sound. I felt the creature go limp in my arms, before I dropped its lifeless corpse on the ground, I grabbed its head and snapped it again.

"For precautionary measures," I said as I dropped the creature on the floor with a dull thud.

I looked down at the creature, panting heavily and groaning from the pain in my right shoulder.

"Spocznij w pokoju, ty sukinsynu (Rest in peace, you son of a bitch)," I said in a venomous tone.

I turned and walked back over to Dalton, who was standing by the good-I mean… The doctor, who looked like he was about to remain consciousness.

"You okay?" asked Dalton.

I shot a glare at him.

"Are you being funny?" I asked firmly.

Dalton put up his hands.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, jeez," he said.

"Ugh… My head," groaned Josef.

I looked down at the doctor. Without even hesitating, I grabbed him by the collar of his coat and slammed him against the wall.

"Nun, gut, also bist du der berüchtigte Doktor. Josef Motherfucking Mengele (Well, well, well, so you're the infamous Doctor. Josef. Motherfucking Mengele)," I said in a dark voice, "I've heard a lot about you and your work, you piece of Nazi trash. And by rights, I should expose you to the piece of The Tracer and watch you transform into a monster so I could kill you like I killed that man."

Before he could get a word out, I threw Josef into the chair with a loud slam. Josef let out a pained groan, as did I. But I didn't care, I still marched over to him.

"You give these prisoners better living conditions… Better food… Better clothing… Better beds… Just so you can turn right around and make them into your personal guinea pigs for your sick, twisted experiments," I said in a dark voice, "…Does that sound ironic to you? A doctor who promises his patient's better living conditions in this living hell, just to be dropped into the deeper and colder level of it!?"

As I marched over to Josef, I kicked him in the face and knocked him over onto the floor. I then grabbed him and carrier him over to the counter, slamming him against it.

"Who… Who are you-"

But he was cut off as I headbutt him.

"You piece of worm-ridden filth!" I roared as I punched him in the stomach and punched him again under the ribs, causing him to let out a pained groan, "these are _living_ people. You are _killing_ living people. Do you understand? These are innocent, people who have done _nothing_ wrong. And you're down here, treating them like their animal testing subjects!"

I punched Josef in the stomach again.

"Who… Are you?" he groaned.

I pulled off my mask and threw off my hat, revealing my face.

"My name is Ariela Liora, Templar Hunter of the Assassin Brotherhood, and orphan of this despicable war," I said through gritted teeth, "but you can call me the girl that's here to take what matters to you most."  
I punched Josef in the face, causing him to let out a pained yelp. Blood started to drip out of his nose as he looked at me.

"A-A-Ariela… You… You're the one that destroyed the carrier," he said.

"That's right… I am," I said in a venomous tone, "and I'm also the one who has half a mind to kill you for what you've done."

I stepped to the side so Josef could see the creature that I killed.

"Are you proud of yourself? Are you proud of what you've done? Using unknown technology on humans just to find out if they're special?" I asked, as I pointed to the creature, "that was once a man. A human being, goddammit… This… Does that look like a human to you?"

"I… Rrg… I was only following my orders," said Josef, "I was only following orders from my superiors… They were trying to… Find a Technomancer… Someone very special… Who could use Zeronian technology."

I growled.

"So, to answer your question… No… I'm not proud of myself… In fact, I'm disappointed," said Josef, "he's actually the tenth one to undergo this transformation."

That was enough for me to gut check the bastard and even drive my right blade into his side. Josef doubled over, but I held him back up and clocked him in the jaw.

"P-Please… If you're here to kill me then just kill me already," he coughed up.

"You're not in a position to make demands, bitch," I hissed as I punched him in the nose, "now… Where are your files?"

"W-What? M-My files-"

I punched him in the nose again.

"WHERE!?" I screamed.

"Don't tell her anything, doctor," said a voice.

I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. I turned around fast to see who spoke, but I was met with the pistol to the side of the head and everything went black.

A cold splash of water was thrown at me, causing me to regain consciousness instantly. I shook my head fast and looked around. Judging by the small room I was in, as well as the fact that I was tied to a chair with a table right in front of me that had a single desk lamp, I was in the interrogation room.

"Hehe… Wakey, wakey… Eggs and bakey," said a voice.

I looked up fast and gasped. It was Abelard Berand.

"Hello Sophia… Or do you prefer that I call you… Ariela Liora?" he asked as he stepped over and sat down in front of me.

I frowned. Abelard snapped his fingers, footsteps were heard and suddenly… A small plate of… Delicacies appeared.

"Nussecke?" asked Abelard.

I just kept frowning at him.

"I'd be more than happy to let you go so you can take one if you want," he said with a smile as he took one of the cookies and bit off a piece, "really good."

I still kept frowning, not saying a word. Abelard shrugged.

"Not a fan of sweets, huh?" he asked, "fine. I guess we'll get right to the talking."

I remained silent.

"…Alright, I guess I'll go first. You can chime in whenever you like," said Abelard, "for the past couple of days, a few of the guards here in the camp have been reporting to me about some… bizzare activity going on between an Assassin Hunter and a young SS Guard. They told me about they've caught the two of you looking like you've been snooping around… Asking questions… Making threats… I didn't want to believe it at first you know, I didn't want to believe… That you were inside of the camp."

I let out a surprised gasp.

"H-How did you know it was me?" I asked in disbelief.

Abelard smiled.

"Ahh… She speaks," he said with a chuckle, "and to answer your question… You might've had those idiot Nazis fooled… But you can't fool a Templar."

Abelard leaned forward.

"Do you want to know how I suspected it was you?" he asked with a grin, "it was your accent. You can't really pull off a good German accent when you're Polish with German blood."

I growled.

"I must say though, I never expected that you would be willing to go as far as to enter this prison just to save your big sister," said Abelard, "you are very skilled at what you do child… But there are times where you let family become a weakness… Family… And Vengeance."

"To each his own," I said flatly, "at least I _had_ a family. A family that you slaughtered."

Abelard got up.

"Oh… Slaughtered is such a… A strong word," he said as he walked around the table and over to me, "I prefer to use the term… Removed."

I watched as Abelard walked behind me. Is he going to kill me? He knocked me out, tied me up, just so he could get a free hit on me!? That fucking cowa-

"Poor child… I do apologize for what happened to your family… And your people," he said.

As he talked, I let out a gasp as I felt Abelard put his hands on my shoulders. And he started… Massaging me.

"Please understand… I didn't want any harm to come to them," Abelard said in a soothing voice, "your family would've been treated much more fairly in one of our safe houses than they would had they been brought here… Or had they still been alive."

I felt my face get hot. Why was he massaging me? Is he…? Why would…? Why…?

"Look at it this way child… At least your sister is still alive, right?" asked Abelard, "she's alive and well. And in much better condition than the prisoners out there."

I started to feel my body become all loose and limp. I felt my toes curl up as a warm sensation washed over me.

"Just think… You would've been in the same condition as her, had you stayed with her that night she was taken," said Abelard, "you would be much happier too… Much happier than when you were left in the woods for dead."

Abelard kept massaging my shoulders. I couldn't take it anymore, I craned my head back and started whimpering.

"S-S-Stop…" I begged, "s-s-stop…"

"Shh… Shh…" said Abelard, "it's alright, I'm not going to hurt you."

He didn't stop. He just kept massaging me, I felt his hands move up to my neck this time. The feeling… It was unbearable. But it was so good. All I could do was crane my head and… And…

"Nyyyaaaah!" I whined.

Abelard stopped as I hung my head, panting heavily.

"Now that you're more compliant," he said as he walked over and sat down, "I have some questions I'd like to ask you, child."

Bastard… He gave me a massage just to soften me up!?

"…That's… What the treatment was for?" I asked firmly, my face still red.

"Oh, don't be so cranky," Abelard said as he leaned back in his chair, "judging by that noise you made, you enjoyed it quite a bit."

I gritted my teeth. I forgot how much I wanted to kill his little ass.

"You wouldn't believe the noise your sister made when I did that to her," Abelard said with an amused chuckle.

"Du Sohn von a (You son of a)!" I growled as I started thrashing.

Suddenly, I heard a gun getting cocked. I stopped instantly.

"I would recommend you not do that again," said Abelard, "in case you didn't realize this, I have four of my best elite soldiers in here with me and they have orders to shoot you dead if you show the slightest sign of wanting to tear my eyes out. So, unless if you want to be shipped back to your Assassin buddies in a body bag and your sister suffer a fate far worse than death, you'd better behave, little girl."

I gritted my teeth as I settled down, breathing hard with anger and hatred. But I started shaking my head.

 _"…Don't let him get to you Ariela… Don't let him get to you…"_ I thought as I tried to calm down with slow, deep breaths.

"Good girl," said Abelard, "oh… And before we begin, this is how this is going to work, every time you give me something that I don't want to hear, every time you dodge my question, every time you back talk… Well… Like I said… Judging by that noise you made you seemed to enjoy the massage I gave you."

Abelard stroked his stubbly chin.

"Which makes me wonder, what other noises you might make if I pushed a little bit more," he said with a cheeky grin.

I felt my face get hot. Templar dog, if I wasn't tied to this chair, I would kill his goons and then kill him for touching me and… Feeling me up.

"Now… Question one, how many came with you?" asked Abelard.

I looked down. I knew I was in a tough spot, if I told him what he needed to hear, I would be breaking the third tenet of the Creed. And if I didn't tell him anything… Nng… I don't want to think about that…

"Ariela… I won't ask again," said Abelard.

"…Go to hell," I said as I raised my head.

Abelard sighed and got up, he moved behind me and put his hands on my shoulders again.

 _"Dammit, here we go,"_ I thought, my face turning red again.

Abelard got right to work, gently massaging my shoulders and my neck, causing that warm sensation to wash over me again. I bit my lower lip and curled my toes. My nails started digging into the chair and my breathing was starting to get heavy.

"How many… Came… With you?" he asked in a soothing voice.

"Th-This interrogation is g-going to be a w-waste of time," I said between breaths, "I-I'm not t-talking."

Abelard chuckled.

"Hehe, how amusing… That was a lot different coming from you," he said as he kept massaging me, "what's wrong Ariela? No… "I'd rather die"? No… "I'm going to tear you a part"? Where are your threats? Where's the venom from the vicious white viper?"

I only let out a whimper and hung my head. My breathing was heavy. My body was becoming loose and limp.

"Don't tell me that the assassins milked it out of you," he said.

"Nng… Nnnnh…" I whimpered softly.

"Oh… They did?" he asked, "well good… I was afraid that I would have to start beating the answers out of you."

I felt Abelard's hands move down to my waist and squeeze my hips, causing me to push myself forward and let out a surprised squeak.

"And I would hate to bruise that little face," he whispered in my ear.

"S-S-Stop… P-Please," I begged.

"If you want me to stop," he said as he started to squeeze my hips, "then tell me what I need to know."

I didn't say anything.

"That's what I thought," he said.

I hang my head back, whimpering and squirming as I felt Abelard put his hands all over my body, squeezing me, massaging me, fondling me as I sat tied up in my chair. I felt disgusted with him… With myself… To think I had allowed myself… Me, a Templar Hunter, to succumb to this dog's methods.

"Now… How many came with you child?" he asked.

I curled my toes again and moaned as I felt Abelard move his hands up to my chest and squeeze my breasts in his hands. This was starting to become unbearable. I didn't know how much longer I could take.

 _"Jake… If you're on your way here, you need to hurry,"_ I thought, _"and fast…"_


	42. Chapter 41: Breaking out of hell

Chapter 41

Breaking out of hell

"Why do you just not cooperate?" asked Abelard.

I curled my toes again and moaned, feeling Abelard massage my neck and fondle my breasts, squeezing them in his hands.

"Why do you compel me to torment you?" he asked.

"Nyaaaah! Auunnh!" I cried out.

"You know I'll get the answers out of you one way or another," said Abelard, "so why don't you be a good little girl and tell me what I need to know?"

"G-G-Go to hell," I spat.

Abelard sighed.

"Well… You seem to like things the hard way," he said as he turned my head so I would be facing his, "I prefer that…"

I felt my face get hot, I shuddered as he brushed a few strands of hair out of my face.

"…You've never been with a man, have you?" he asked, "…a real man?"

I let out a gasp. He… He wouldn't… He wouldn't dare. Is he…? He wouldn't.

"Mm… I'd imagine not. It's a shame, a beautiful bird like you without a mate," he said in a soothing tone.

I felt my heart start beating faster, feeling Abelard place his hand on my right breast and squeeze it again.

"As much as I would enjoy hearing your cries as I take… What's most precious to you," he said as he glided his hand down towards my private area, "I'm curious if you'll be more cooperative… After seven minutes with my men."

My heart was beating even faster. I was terrified. I would rather die, I'd rather be a prisoner, I'd rather be a… An agent for the Templars. But this… To be used as some… Lalka seksualna (Sex doll) for these… These…

"So, it's your choice Lady Liora… Me… Or them," said Abelard.

"…I'd rather die," I spat.

"…Poor choice of words," said Abelard.

A chill went up my spine, as I heard him pull out a knife and slide it right under the top button of my uniform, before giving one quick just and popping it off.

"N-No, no, please don't," I begged as I shook my head, "p-please, I don't want that, please…"

But Abelard said nothing, he just went and popped the second button… Then the third… Then the fourth. As he went for the fifth button, there was a loud banging on the door.

"Oh, for Christ's sake," groaned Abelard.

 _"Oh, thank you god,"_ I thought with a sigh of relief.

Abelard answered.

"What is it?" he asked, sounding irritated.

"Commander, the traitor's escaped," said a Templar guard.

"WHAT!?" screamed Abelard.

I gasped. Escaped. So, they didn't kill Dalton when they found us.

 _"Wait a second… I just realized something… How long has it been since I was captured? More importantly… Had Jake and the others arrived?"_ I thought.

"Du Idiot! Er weiß viel zu viel, mit den Informationen, die er in diesem Schädel verschlossen hat, könnte er es zu den Assassinen tragen, wenn sie ihn finden (You idiot! He knows far too much, with the information he has locked away in that skull, he could carry it to the Assassins if they find him)!" screamed Abelard, "Sammeln Sie eine kleine Truppe und suchen Sie das ganze Lager, stellen Sie sicher, dass er nicht esca- (gather a small squad and search the whole camp, make sure he hasn't esca-)"

"Commander!" someone called out, "the Soviet is gone! The Soviet Assassin is gone!"

I saw Abelard for his right hand into a tight fist. He turned towards the soldiers who were busy standing guard.

"You four, watch her," said Abelard, "if she so much as tries to escape… Kill her."

The soldiers nodded. Abelard stormed out, slamming the door behind him. I let out a sigh of relief, pleased to see that I had survived being turned into some whore for Abelard's enjoyment… Or torment… Or whichever. I looked at each of the guards who were standing at their respective corners, they didn't say anything… They didn't even look at me.

"…So… Uh… I don't suppose you guys wouldn't mind cutting me loose… Right?" I asked in a sheepish tone.

The soldiers didn't respond. I looked down for a moment before looking up and turning towards one of them.

"So… Uh… What's it like being a Templar?" I asked.

The soldier turned and looked at me.

"I mean… It can't be as fun as being what I am right? You know… An assassin?" I asked, "I mean… We're free to do whatever we want and not have to suffer the consequence. You guys have to follow a strict set of rules."

The soldier frowned. I don't know if I was getting to him or if he was becoming annoyed with my talking. Either way, I kept going.

"So… Like what separates you guys from us? Besides when comparing our ideals?" I asked, "I mean… Is it because you guys talk more about politics and shit? Is it because you don't have special uniforms? I'm confused."

"Hey kid," said the soldier, "how about you shut up for about ten seconds?"

"Okay," I said.

Sure enough, I stayed silent for about ten seconds…

"So anyway, what separates you guys from my faction?" I asked.

The soldier groaned and shot a glare at me.

"Kid… That wasn't an expression," he said in a firm tone, "now if you don't mind… Shut. Up."

"Why?" I asked.

The soldier looked at me, dumbfounded.

"…Excuse me?" he asked.

"Why do you want me to shut up?" I asked.

"Because it hurts to listen to you talk," he said firmly.

"But it hurts even more to sit here in silence," I said.

"I don't care," he said, "now shut up, before _I_ do it."

"Ooooooo, so scary," I said in a taunting tone, "but let me ask you something. How do you think _Abelard_ would feel if he found out you put your hands on me?"

The soldier walked over to me.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"I'm saying the last thing you want to do is touch me pal," I said with a cheeky grin, "if Abelard found out that you hurt me, that would make him _very_ unhappy."

Suddenly, the soldier grabbed me by my uniform and leaned in close to my face.

"Kid… You're asking for a punch in the fucking jaw," he growled, "you think I'm scared of what the commander will say? _He's_ not _here_. _He_ can't stop _me_ from doing whatever I want. I don't care if you _are_ a pretty face."

I looked at the soldier for a moment before headbutting him in the nose. The soldier let out a pained yelp and released me as he covered his nose, which was starting to drip blood.

"Could you not lean in so close? Your breath is so fowl I could feel my nose hairs start to shrivel up and die," I said.

The soldier growled.

"Why you little bi-"

But the soldier was cut off as the sound of gunfire was heard from outside of the interrogation room, along with numerous soldiers crying out in pain. I raised an eyebrow. What was going on?

"What's going on?" asked the fourth soldier.

"I don't know," said the first soldier.

He turned and pointed to the fourth and third soldier.

"You two, go out there and see what's going on," he ordered.

His comrades nodded and went for the door, but as the fourth soldier reached for the door knob and turned it… I saw a weapon go through the door and out through the guy's back. Judging by the weapon's design, it was obviously some kind of sword… But it didn't look like any sword I could recognize.

I watched as the sword was pulled out, the soldier dropped to the floor, choking on his own blood, which was starting to fill up his throat. When I looked back up at the door, someone broke inside of the room.

"Ariela! Get down!" someone barked.

I felt a jolt go up my spine, and within seconds, I jerked my body to the right and fell over as the whole room was filled with the sound of more gunfire before becoming silent again… Except for three more bodies dropping to the floor. I tried to raise my head, to see who had cut down the four soldiers who were guarding me, but it proved difficult. All I could see, was a pair of boots walk into the room and make their way over to me.

"Hey there kiddo," said a voice.

My eyes widened, as I could make out the voice of who was speaking to me.

"Antoly?" I asked.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," he said with a chuckle.

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank god, am I glad to see you," I said, "quick, get me out of this."

"Already on it," he said.

I heard Antoly draw something sharp, I'm guessing a knife, and started cutting away at the ropes, setting me free… But at the same time, causing me to fall flat on the floor a quiet thud. I stood up and dusted myself off, when I looked at Antoly and got ready to thank him… I stopped.

"Antoly… You're fully equipped," I said.

"Really?" he asked as he examined himself, "oh would you look at that."

"But… How did you manage to get your gear?" I asked, "more importantly, how did you manage to escape?"

"Escape?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow, "hehe, I could've escaped any time, I was just waiting to find out where the piece of The Tracer was being kept before I could make my move. However, when I met you, I figured I could get you to find out its location while I laid low for a little while longer before planning to break out."

I frowned.

"So, you… Used me to find out where the piece was located while you got to be the lazy lizard?" I asked as I crossed my arms in a huff.

"Don't get cranky," said Antoly, "I could've just as escaped, grabbed the piece to The Tracer and leave you and your little friend to be POWs to the Templars and Germans."

He's not wrong.

"Wait… Where's Dalton?" I asked.

I turned towards the sound of approaching footsteps. Without warning, I ran over to one of the fallen soldiers and drew his sidearm, aiming it at the door and preparing to pull the trigger…

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Dalton cried out as he threw up his hands, "I'm a friendly!"

I let out a surprised gasp and threw down the gun.

"Dalton," I said happily as I ran over to hug him.

Dalton let out a pained groan.

"Ugh… Ehehe… I didn't mean to worry you so badly," he said, "uh… C-Could you not squeeze me so hard? Those Templars kind of… Beat me up a bit."

I quickly let go.

"Sorry," I said.

I looked up at Dalton's face. He wasn't lying, the Templars really did a number on him, his face was black and blue, he had a small dribble of dry blood on the right side of his mouth, and he looked like he had a few spots of blood on his chest.

"My god… Dalton," I said in a worried tone.

"It's not bad," he said with a reassuring smile.

"Not bad? Dalton look at you… You look like you just got jumped," I said.

"I said it's not bad," he said, "…I've received worse from you… Remember?"

I raised an eyebrow, feeling confused.

"What do you mean worse from-Oh… OH!" I exclaimed, "hey to be fair, you were being difficult."

"Yes… And then you stabbed me for it," said Dalton.

I gave Dalton a flirty smile.

"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" I asked, poking him in the chest.

"Hey, love birds," said Antoly, "if you're done making faces at each other, we need to get out of here."

Dalton and I looked at Antoly.

"What!?" we exclaimed.

Dalton and I looked back at each other.

"Ew, no… No… God no," I said.

"Me with her? Good god, no," said Dalton.

I went over to one of the fallen soldiers and picked up his weapon: A VG 1-5. Not something I'm used to mind you… But, when you're an assassin, sometimes you've got to look for a weapon no matter where you are or what situation you're in.

"Alright, we need to find out where the piece to The Tracer is as well as the documents," I said, "Dalton, did you manage to find out where the piece was located before being taken away to get interrogated?"

Dalton nodded.

"Abelard, had it taken to the warden's office," he said.

I cursed under my breath.

"They'll probably have that place heavily guarded," I muttered, "it'll be impossible for us to break in."

"Maybe not with the two of you," said Antoly, "but if you have me by your side, breaking into the warden's office should be rather easy."

Suddenly, the door to the building burst open.

"In here! I saw the traitor come in here after the assassin!" someone called out.

I felt my heart stop.

"We've got company," I said.

I looked outside of the interrogation room and turned my head around the corner. Within seconds, I saw a pair of SS guards make their way around the corner and prepare to make their way down the hall. Without wasting another second, I jumped out, aimed, and fired, shooting them both dead.

"We have to get to the warden's office," I said, "stay together."

Dalton and Antoly nodded as they followed me out of the room and into the hallway. Before we could reach the corner though, I picked up the sound of more footsteps and saw three more guards appear.

"Attentäter (Assassin)!" the first guard called out.

"Ariela, Dalton, duck!" barked Antoly.

We didn't bother to ask why, so we just ducked down, I on the other hand, looked up to see a pistol go flying at one of the guards and hit him right in the head.

 _"Guess he was giving Dalton and I a brief window,"_ I thought.

Sure enough, Dalton and I jumped to our feet and charged. With a flick of my wrist, my right hidden blade shot out, I spun and swung my weapon at the guard who took the pistol to the face, slicing open his throat and causing blood to start spraying out.

When I turned my head, the second guard struck me in the face with the butt of his rifle, knocking me into his friend, who grabbed me from behind and had me in a headlock.

"Gotcha, you little bitch," he said with a menacing chuckle.

"L-Let go of me you son of a… Fucker!" I barked.

I jammed my elbow into the guard's gut and punched him right in the "Family Jewels", causing him to double over in pain. Without losing momentum, I jumped up and drove my knee into his chin, knocking him on his ass. When I turned around, I saw his friend get ready to stab me in the back with his knife when… Dalton ran up and kicked him in the back of his right leg, bringing him down to the floor. Without losing momentum, Dalton struck the guard in the jaw with a roundhouse, knocking him unconscious.

"Damn, I've been waiting a long time to do this," he said with a smile.

I smiled back at Dalton as I picked up my assault rifle again and kept going. The three of us rounded the corner-

"Back up!" I called out, pushing them back as gunfire filled the air.

"What happened?" asked Antoly.

"Crossfire," I said, "three down that way and two up that way."

"Grenade heraus (Grenade out)!" I heard someone call out.

I heard a faint clinking sound, as a stick grenade landed a few inches away from us. I turned pale, picked up the explosive and tossed it up the hallway.

"Grenade!" I heard one of the guards call out.

The grenade went off.

"That was close," I said.

Antoly pushed me out of the way and drew his weapon, he walked over to the corner where I was. He stood there for a few seconds… Then he jumped out and opened fire with a quick burst of rounds. Antoly motioned for Dalton and me to come out, which we did.

"Ari!" Dalton called out.

I turned and looked up the hallway. The guards had survived the explosion from the grenade, they must've jumped out of the way! I raised my weapon and squeezed the trigger, laying down suppressive fire to keep them pinned.

"Dalton, I don't know how many rounds I have left, help Antoly," I said.

Dalton nodded and left me to deal with the two guards. I turned my attention back towards both of my opponents and started to slowly make my way over to them, spitting out a quick burst of rounds every few seconds just to keep them on edge so they wouldn't be able to fire off even a single bullet. When the second guard jumped out though and prepared to fire, I took aim and cut him down with a small volley of rounds.

 _"One down,"_ I thought, _"now to keep his buddy suppressed so I can get-"_

But my thoughts were interrupted when I saw that something was wrong… I was out of ammo!

"Aw scheiße (Aw shit)," I thought.

"Ha! You're out of ammo!" the guard called out as he jumped out from behind the corner.

Without even hesitating, I threw my assault rifle at the guard and forced him to move to the left. Seeing the open window, I gave myself, I charged and my blades shot out with a flick of my wrists, I brought them up and dug them into my opponent's stomach. The guard let out a pained groan and dropped to his knees as I pulled my blades out, before falling over and starting to bleed out.

"Hey!" someone called out.

I looked to my left, then I looked to my right and saw a small squad of SS guards make their way over to me. I cursed.

 _"Can't go in armed to the teeth he said… Don't want them to suspect anything he said,"_ I thought.

I ran over to the corner on the right as the guards opened fire. I looked down at my right gauntlet and eyed my hidden gun. I know that it only carried one shot… but it was the only long range weapon that I had that could help me get out of this mess. I pulled back on the hammer on my weapon when… The firing stopped.

"You, move forward, try and flush her out," I heard one of the guards.

 _"Flush me out, huh?"_ I thought.

Without warning, I turned around the corner, brought my gun up and fired, shooting the closest guard in the eye and killing him. The other guards jumped back in shock.

 _"Now's my chance!"_ I thought.

I charged towards the trio and fired my second gun, shooting the next guard in the head and dropping him to the ground, dead… Wow, that rhyme was not intended. As the remaining two guards stood up and prepared to open fire, I jumped forward and drove my right hidden blade into the first guard's chest. Without losing momentum, I turned and slid to the right as the second guard tried to get me from behind with the butt of his rifle. My right hidden blade shot out again and a stabbed the guard in the side, before my left hidden blade shot out and I drove it into his stomach. I took the guard and slammed him against the wall, stabbing him three times and driving my knee into his stomach before letting him go.

I watched as the guard slowly slid down and slumped on the floor in a bleeding heap. I turned and made my way back over to the boys, who were waiting for me.

"Where did you go?" asked Antoly.

"I uh… Kind of had to take care of-"

"I don't want to know," Antoly interrupted as he opened the door and led me and Dalton out.

I puffed up my cheeks in a huff.

"Rosjanie (Russians)…" I said under my breath.

As we stepped out of the building, I looked up at the sky and gasped. It was night time.

 _"Shit, Jake will be here any moment,"_ I thought, _"and what's more I need to find my sister and get her out."_

I looked over at Dalton.

"Do you know remember where the warden's office is?" I asked.

Dalton nodded.

"Then let's get going," I said.

"I don't think it's wise for all of us to move together," said Antoly, "look around you, the whole camp is on high alert, and I have no doubt that when the watch towers have orders to shoot on sight the second they catch us roaming around."

"…Well what do you propose?" I asked.

"I recommend that we split up," said Antoly, "I'll head around the camp and knock out each of the watchtowers. Meanwhile, you two head to the warden's office and get the artifact."

Dalton and I nodded.

"Rendezvous at the entrance of the camp say… One hour?" I asked.

"Pfft, one hour?" he asked, "you'd better make it two or three."

I watched as Antoly hurried off, leaving me and Dalton alone.

"Well, let's get going," he said.

"I think… You'd better get going," I said as I turned to go.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dalton exclaimed as he reached out and clamped his hand around my wrist, stopping me.

I turned and looked at Dalton.

"Where do you think, you're going?" asked Dalton.

"I have to go save my sister," I said.

"And you're going to let me get the artifact myself?" asked Dalton, "Ariela, you can't expect me to head to the warden's office alone, they'll tear me a part, I'm not like you or your friend… Or even Commander Berand."

"I can't leave my sister behind and wind up becoming some sort of… Leverage or… Puppet for the Templars," I said firmly, "I have to save her."

"And what happens when you try to save her?" asked Dalton.

"…What are you talking about?" I asked.

I yanked my wrist out of his grip.

"Don't you think that's what Abelard would expect?" asked Dalton, "don't you think he'd expect you to go and try to save your sister?"

"You don't know what you're saying," I said.

"You're right, maybe I don't," said Dalton, "but trust me when I say that saving your sister now is the last thing you want to do Ariela. For all you know, Abelard could be waiting for you. And what'll happen then?"

And I had a thought… No… I had an idea… It was a crazy idea… But it was an idea regardless. I felt a smile start to stretch across my face.

"What?" asked Dalton.

"Say that again Dalton," I said.

"Uh… Abelard will expect you to try and save your sister?" he asked.

"Bingo," I said, "you said that you can't enter the warden's office alone and I need to save my sister. Now let's say you're right and Abelard will be expecting me to save my sister. If he is and I get captured. If that happens I can't escape so I can regroup with you at the warden's office… So… What if I do something unexpected? Something that he won't count on?"

"Like what?" asked Dalton.

"What if… I draw the guards away from the warden's office? You know, soften up security so you can break in, grab the artifact and then head to the entrance of the camp?" I asked, "I'll be able to deal with Abelard and his goons, I'll be able to grab my sister, easy peasy," I said confidently.

Dalton pondered.

"…A diversion," he said, "…a dangerous move, but it just might work."

"Alright," I said.

Dalton and I tightly locked hands and exchanged smiles.

"Gemeinsam zum Sieg (Together for victory)," I said.

"Recht (Right)," he said.


	43. Chapter 42: Showdown

Chapter 42

Showdown

Dalton and I had arrived at the warden's office, of course we had to duck and dodge a lot of guards… And by "we" I mean Dalton, since I decided to take to the roof. Sure, I had to take out a few guards that caught sight of him… But other than that, the trip was basically smooth sailing. Never the less, upon our arrival, we saw how heavily guarded it was.

 _"…Dalton's right… He wouldn't be able to break in alone,"_ I thought.

"So… How are you going to get them away?" Dalton asked, looking up at me.

I smiled.

"Simple," I said as I jumped off the roof and landed right beside him, "just stand back and watch."

I made my way over to the guards and whistled to them. The guards and looked over at me as I kept walking for a few more steps until I came to a stop.

"Hey Jungs? Suchst du nach mir (Hey boys? Are you looking for me)?" I asked.

The guards looked at each other for a moment. I smiled at them, turned around, and bent over.

"Gut hier bin ich (Well here I am)!" I called out as I slapped my ass.

Within seconds, the guards started running at me. I smiled and took off.

 _"I didn't think that'd work,"_ I thought as I kept running through the camp.

I looked around and made my way towards the nearest building, working fast, I scaled the length of the wall and made my way to the roof, from there, I jumped from building to building, trying to keep my head down as I started to hear gunfire come from behind me. With a single jump, I made my way from the roof to the ground below, performing a recovery roll as I landed before stopping. I stood up and dusted myself off.

"Shit… I hope I didn't make them lose sight of me," I said.

Sure enough, as soon as I said that, I heard a massive group of boots pounding against the ground as the guards had managed to catch up and surround me on all sides. I turned around and saw them all raise their weapons.

"Hands up, Assassin," ordered the captain.

I smiled and put my hands up.

"Okay… I give up," I said.

The captain waved for two of his men to go over and take me, I let out a pained grunt as my arms were pulled behind my back.

"Let's take her to the commander," he said.

I let out a grunt as the soldiers shoved me forward and started to take me to Abelard.

 _"Alright, you'd better use this window well Dalton,"_ I thought.

The soldiers took me through the camp until we arrived at one of the buildings… No, it was the same building that my sister was being held. Three of the soldiers brought me inside while the rest of them waited outside, my guess was to keep an eye out for Dalton or Antoly. Nothing was said as the soldiers brought me to my sister's room, as the soldiers brought me inside, to my luck Abelard was in there and so was Miriam.

"Caught her sir," said the first soldier, "she was heading for the warden's office."

I looked up at Abelard and he looked at me, when I turned my attention to Miriam… The look in her eyes…

"…Ariel?" she asked in disbelief.

I gave her a small smile.

"Hello Miriam," I said softly.

Miriam walked over, I saw one of the soldiers reach for his side arm.

"No," said Abelard, "let them reunite."

"What!? Sir, you can't be serious-"

"Do it," Abelard said firmly.

The soldiers looked at each other for a moment, then they released me. I didn't have time to check and see if they had bruised my wrists, because before I knew it, Miriam jumped forward and hugged me.

"Ariel…" Miriam said sadly.

"Marie," I said sadly.

My sister and I hugged each other tightly, I felt tears roll down my face. Never have I ever felt so happy to be with my big sister.

"I missed you so much," she said.

"I missed you too," I said.

"…I thought you were dead," she said.

"No… Not yet," said Abelard.

I felt my heart stop as I heard Abelard pull back the hammer on his side arm, I looked over my sister's shoulder and saw it… No, correction… I saw the barrel of the weapon and it was aimed right at us. I felt a sudden sickness wash over me. I should've known that this was all too easy.

"W-W-Wait!" begged Miriam, "y-y-you said that you were going to help get me and my sister reunited."

"Yes… I did," said Abelard, "you've had your little reunion, and now, it's time for your sister to pay her dues. She was responsible for the destruction of _The Hearth_ and is also responsible for the deaths of many good men who were fighting for what they thought was a just cause."

Miriam looked hurt. Like… Like… She had the face of someone who just heard their significant other tell them something extremely hurtful.

"…You lied to me," she said as she clenched her fists, "you told me that the Templars were the true keepers of peace, that they help govern our world once this war was over."

"We are the true keepers of peace," said Abelard, "but to gain peace, one must first attain order to achieve it. Your sister and her little band of white-hooded rats are preventing my brothers and I from helping to attain that peace for the good people of this planet. It is why the Assassins need to be destroyed."

Miriam pulled me into her arms.

"She's my sister! You can't kill her!" she exclaimed, "she's only doing what she believes is right!"

"Her beliefs are completely esqu," said Abelard, "your sister has killed men Miriam. Need I remind you that these were men who fought for what they believed in, men with families? Are you really going to defend someone who's killed off so many family men?"

Miriam looked at me, and then looked back at Abelard.

"How many wifes do you think are waiting for their husbands? How many children are waiting for their fathers? How many sisters and aunts…?" asked Abelard, "how many, Miriam?"

"What about you?" I asked.

"What did you say?" asked Abelard.

"You heard what I said, you pathetic son of a bitch," I said firmly, "what about you? You think you're some kind of saint? You think that I should just lie down like some abused dog, waiting for this all to be over, while you and the rest of your posse aid the Germans in rounding up and hounding people… Good people into these fucking concentration camps?"

Abelard growled, hearing me speak to him in such a firm, harsh tone.

"So, what if a few innocents have to die so the Templars can achieve their goals? You think innocents haven't been caught in our crossfire?" asked Abelard, "there have been plenty of people Ariela. Plenty of people, who've been caught in the crossfire of this war. I took an oath when I joined the Templars, and nothing will halt me from helping to achieve the goals of The Grandmaster."

I growled and stepped forward.

"So you're really willing to help the Germans gain power just so you can take it once they've controlled the entire world," I said.

I lowered my head.

"Truly… The Templars have fallen far from their roots once again it seems," I said.

I look up and see Abelard has his pistol pressed up against my forehead.

"I will hear you speak no more, girl," he hissed, "it's time I silence you."

I stood stoically in front of Abelard, my expression had not changed.

"…You know if you're truly a Templar, you'd toss that gun to the ground so we can settle this like our factions did all those years ago," I said, "more spesifically, so we can settle this like we should've back in Turkey before you backed out."

Abelard scoffed.

"Heh, the only reason I didn't want to fight you was because you were unstable. It wouldn't have been a fair fight. I wouldn't dare bring myself to sink so low as to kill a blood lusting beast," he said, "…I am surprised at you though, making such a suggestion. I see that you have changed since we last met… But what makes you think that you'll stand a chance against the likes of me? If I were you, I would take my death like a true assassin."

"Hey, I'm serious man," I said, "unless if you're too much of a bitch because you're afraid of being beaten by a little girl."

Abelard frowned at me, then he gave me a smug grin.

"You're really eager to settle this little song and dance?" he asked.

I raised my right hand and my blade shot out with a flick of my wrist.

"…Believe it," I said.

Abelard had his gun pressed to my forehead for another good couple of minutes or so before pulling it away and sliding it in his holster. With a snap of his fingers, I watched as Abelard's goons grabbed my sister.

"Hey! Let go of me! Let go!" she yelled as she started to struggle.

"Miriam, przestań (Miriam, stop)," I said.

"Ariel, nie możesz tego zrobić! Jeśli walczysz, on cię zabije (Ariel, you can't do this! If you fight him, he'll kill you)!" she cried out, "Nie mogę stracić cię, jak straciliśmy naszą siostrę i resztę naszej rodziny (I can't lose you like we lost our sister and the rest of our family)!"

I leaned forward and kissed my sister on the cheek, wiping a tear off as well as I pulled away.

"... nie straci ... nie dla niego (...I won't lose... Not to him)," I said.

"If you two are quite done," said Abelard, "…You three, take her outside."

I watched as my sister was carried out of the building, leaving me and Abelard alone in the bedroom.

"…You're not going out first?" he asked.

"You don't trust me with following you out of the building?" I asked.

Abelard said nothing.

"…Smart man," I said as I followed out with him.

Abelard and I walked out of the room in silence, only casting quick glances at one another as we stepped out into the cold fall night. I saw all of Abelard's soldiers, watching guard.

"Männer! Einen Umkreis bilden (Men! Form a perimeter)!" ordered Abelard.

The soldiers started to circle Abelard and I, with the exception of the three soldiers, who still held my sister captive.

"Sargeant," said Abelard, "your weapon."

I looked over at one of the Templar prison guards and saw him start to hand Abelard his rifle.

"No…" said Abelard.

The guard looked down and drew something from a sheath… His sword. Abelard took the weapon and handed it to me, which I caught and gave a good whirl as I examined it.

 _"Standard Templar sword… Typical weapon for Templar Prison guards or infantry,"_ I thought.

I looked over at Abelard, who drew his weapon: A Knight's Templar Officer's sword.

"…What are the rules?" I asked.

"Fight to the death," he said, "you win, you and your sister go free. I win, you die and your sister remains as my personal prisoner… And if you decide at any point that you don't want to fight anymore… My soldiers have orders to kill your sister."

I frowned.

"Do you understand?" asked Abelard.

I nodded.

"Good… Now… Any last words?" he asked.

"…Ich werde dich in der Hölle sehen (I'll see you in hell)," I said.

Abelard gave one last smug grin and chuckled, before the two of us gripped our weapons with two hands and we charged forward. Our blades crossed. The game was on.


	44. Chapter 43: Ariela vs Abelard

Chapter 43

Ariela vs. Abelard

A cold chill blew through the air, I could feel their eyes on us as we executed each move with incredible speed and lethal precision, I could see them keep track of us as we blocked, parried, and evaded each of our respective strikes, I felt my heart start racing at an incredible speed, filling my body with massive doses of adrenaline, my focus had been tightened, my mind was in overdrive, telling me when to attack and when to go on the defensive.

Truly no other words could describe the anormaty of the duel I was in as I traded deadly blows with my arch-enemy… The murderer of my family… My sister's kidnapper… The very reason why I signed up with the Assassins and joined their very cause. Yes, after so long, I've finally been given the chance to go toe-to-toe with Abelard Berand once again.

"You have learned much child," he said.

"You'll find out I'm full of surprises," I said.

I jumped at Abelard again, our blades went back to crashing against each other, for a second, I could've sword I saw sparks fly from some of the hits we delivered, the sparks caught the air on fire for a split second before being snuffed out. Ten strikes per second, fifteen strikes, twenty strikes… The numbers seemed to climb almost every second, until we started trading damn near thirty strikes per second.

 _"Minimal movements, don't move your blade any further from your body than you need it to,"_ I thought as I locked blades with Abelard before kicking him in the left shin.

Abelard let out a pained yelp, allowing me to break the lock and strike the hilt of my blade into his jaw, causing him to stumble back. Abelard shot a mean look at me before stepping forward again, this time he started circling his sword around his body, as if he was using it as some sort of protective shield… Or at least I thought, until I saw him deliver three quick side strikes, one to the left, one to the right, and the final strike was to the left. I blocked each hit with my blade, before ducking down as Abelard went for a sweeping slash. Before I had a chance to stand up right, I saw Abelard bring his knee up and strike me in the face.

I let out a pained yelp and put a hand to my face. I pulled my hand away and looked down at it. There were a few droplets of crimson red, blood on the palm of my hand. I growled and formed my hand into a fist before wiping my nose with my sleeve before getting in my ready stance again.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" asked Abelard.

"I don't know… Does this hurt?" I asked.

In a flash, I scooped up a handful of dirt and hurled it at Abelard, forcing him to cover his face. Using the small window, I had, I jumped forward and punched him right in the jaw before driving my knee into his stomach; Abelard doubled over in pain and groaned, allowing me to strike him in the back of the neck with the hilt of my blade, bringing him down.

"Time to end this!" I called out as I brought my blade up and over my head.

Suddenly, Abelard swung his leg out and swept my feet out from under me, bringing me down. Abelard quickly jumped to his feet and brought his blade down this time, but I brought my sword up and blocked his attack. I looked down at his legs and shot my right leg forward, kicking Abelard in his left right shin and causing him to let out a pained groan as he stumbled a bit. Without hesitating, I shot both of my legs forward and drove them into Abelard's stomach, knocking him on his back. I jumped to my feet and brandished my blade, waiting for Abelard to get back up again.

He did… Without even so much as a struggle. Abelard gritted his teeth as he growled at me.

"Ich werde es genießen, dass du stirbst ... Silver Blade (I'm going to enjoy watching you die... Silver Blade)," he said in a low voice.

"Dann sind wir schon zu zweit (That makes two of us)," I said.

Abelard and I stared each other down for a moment… Then we crossed blades again. Our weapons became blurs of shining steel as we slashed, chopped, blocked, and parried each other's blows just as we did before, with incredible speed and precision. Truly, out of all the previous duels I've had, out of all the enemies I've faced out there in the field, no other opponent had come close to my caliber with a blade than Abelard. Not even those Assassin Hunters that I killed some time ago.

If I didn't carry such a seething source of hatred towards the man… I would've respected him in some shape or form for the way he fights. It's a shame that the only thing I feel from him…

 _"Duck!"_ I thought.

I ducked and dodged to the left and right before backflipping away as Abelard went for an upward slash, barely getting my chin. I managed to stick the landing, but I had to throw out a kick and strike him right in the stomach to knock him back some. I jumped to my feet and went for a twist kick; but Abelard moved to my flank and drove his elbow into my neck. I felt a hot stab of pain go through my body and a stumbled for a brief moment, I started to shake my head, trying to shake off the pain; but I let out a pained yelp as Abelard kicked me in the back of my left leg, bringing me down to one knee.

"Ariela!" Miriam cried out.

I turned around fast and rolled out of the way as Abelard brought his sword down on me again. As I rose to my feet, I felt Abelard kick my blade out of my hand and kick me right in my chest, knocking me on my back with a dull thud. I coughed and let out a pained groan, I struggled to get up, but I let out a pained yelp and dropped back down. That was when I had remembered something… My shoulder hadn't been bandaged up.

 _"Dammit… How could I have forgotten… That fucking creature took a bite out of me,"_ I thought as I struggled to sit up.

I put my hand to my shoulder as I kept trying to sit up, but it was no use, the pain was starting to course through my body… And fast.

"How incredible that you managed to go for so long before the pain started to hit you again," said Abelard.

"You… You bastard… You didn't bandage me?" I asked as I started to slowly sit up.

"Of course not, you idiot," said Abelard.

"So… How come my sister gets special treatment… And I don't?" I asked.

"Because your sister, isn't an assassin," said Abelard.

Abelard started to walk over to me, he planted his foot on my stomach, forcing me down to the ground.

"I believe this is checkmate," he said.

I groaned and tried to pry his foot off, but Abelard hardly budged.

 _"Dammit! I can't escape!"_ I thought as I kept struggling to push his foot off, _"come on! Come on!"_

I watched as Abelard brought his sword up, preparing to deliver the Schlag der Barmherzigkeit (blow of mercy).

"Any last words, child?" he asked.

I just looked up at Abelard and frowned.

"…Fahr zur Hölle (Go to hell)," I said.

"We're already here," Abelard said with a chuckle.

I closed my eyes, awaiting my fate. The only thing I could hear, was my sister… Calling out to me.

"ARIELA!" she cried out.

Suddenly, my eyes snapped open, as I heard gunfire coming from a different direction. I looked up and saw Abelard had turned his head to find out who was firing off shots.

"Catch you bastards at a bad time?" asked a voice.

I turned around fast to see who it was that spoke, I gasped.

"Jake!" I called out with a smile.

Jake smiled as he stormed inside of the camp with at least two squads of commandos and five or seven other Assassins.

"Assassins! Kill them all!" barked Abelard.

I jumped to my feet.

"Hey Abelard!" I called out.

Abelard looked at me and growled.

"Your fights with me," I said as I beckoned him.

Abelard chuckled.

"How do you hope to defend yourself?" he asked, "you're unarmed."

"That's because she doesn't have the right weapons, Templar dog," said Jake, "Ari! Catch!"

I turned and saw Jake toss something to me… No… He tossed two things at me. My Karabela and Dirk! I caught both of my weapons and brandished them as I turned and looked Abelard in the eye.

"Now it's an even fight," I said with a smirk.

"Ari, you'd better make this fight quick if we're going to escape with the artifact," said Jake.

"Well if you're looking for the artifact, go find an SS Guard by the name of Dalton," I said.

"An SS Guard? Wait… You don't have it!?" exclaimed Jake.

"Jake just trust me, go find Dalton," I said, "I'll handle Abelard."

Jake let out a groan.

"Jake please," I begged, "Dalton's a friend of mine, he'll give you the artifact. Just let him know that you're a friend of mine."

"…You'd better be right," he said as he hurried off.

I turned my head and jumped back as Abelard swung on me, I brought my Karabela up and jumped forward, deflecting the strike and bringing my knee up; Abelard let out a apined groan as I struck him in the stomach, when he doubled over, I struck Abelard in the jaw with the hilt of my Dirk before grabbing the man by his shoulders and throwing him to the ground.

"What the hell was that!?" he snapped as he rose to his feet.

"It's called fighting dirty," I said.

Abelard rose to his feet.

"A real assassin wouldn't resort to using cheap tricks," he said.

I scoffed.

"Löffel füttert diese Last von Bullshit zu jemandem, der einen verdammten gibt (Spoon feed that load of bullshit to someone who gives a damn)," I said as I got in my battle stance again, "Jetzt ... Zeig mir eine gute Zeit (Now... Show me a good time)."

Abelard growled and jumped at me again, crossing his blade with mine. Within seconds, he and I started trading deadly strikes with one another as Templars, SS, Assassins and commandos battled all around us. The sound of gunfire and swords clashing against each other filled the air, along with the cries and roars of each members of their respective factions battled with each other under the cold night, painting the ground red and littering it with corpses.

I heard shouting on the intercoms as well, I could only assume it was someone from the SS Guard or someone from the Templars, shouting something repeatedly over chaos that was going on within the concentration camp over and over again: All available personel, there's been a breach within the walls, engage the enemy forces and eliminate them.

"You can't beat me child!" Abelard roared as we locked blades.

I gritted my teeth and headbutt him, knocking him back and leaving him disoriented.

"We'll see about that," I growled as I spun and slashed at him with both of my weapons.

Abelard blocked both attacks and countered with a roundhouse. I ducked and went for a leg sweep, but he slid back and went for a heavy slash at my right. I slid in the direct of his attack and brough my Karabela up, deflecting his hit.

"Hab dich (Got you)!" I exclaimed.

I brought my knee up and struck him in the stomach, but I was met with a punch to my jaw and blow to the side from an unexpected kick, causing me to stumble a bit. Abelard swung upward, but I evaded with a backflip and stuck the landing before jumping at him again, first lashing out with a series of dervish strikes with both of my blades before finishing off my barrage with two heavy overhead chops, which were enough to smash through Abelard's guard and leave him defenseless.

"You're mine!" I called out.

I thrust my Karabela forward, but he deflected my attack and turned around, kicking me in my left shoulder, causing me to drop my Dirk on the ground. I stumbled for a bit; but without warning, I saw Abelard swing at me. I jumped back, but I was too slow and just _barely_ evaded the deadly blow. I let out a groan and put a hand to my chest. I looked down at my hand, seeing that there was a bit of crimson red liquid on it. I was bleeding… But I doubt it's bad.

"You're lucky," Abelard said as he kicked my Dirk away, "let's see how good you are with just your blade and not your dagger."

I saw him turn and look over at two of his men.

"Leutnant. Oberst (Lieutenant. Colonel)," he said.

The Templars turned. Abelard motioned towards me. I looked over at the soldiers again and they started to make their way over to me… With Abelard, too!

"Fuck," I said as I got in my battle stance.

The first Templar made his move, swinging at my neck; but I deflected his hit and elbowed him in the jaw before shooting my left hidden blade out and stabbing him in the back of the neck, killing him. Suddenly, the second Templar grabbed me from behind; but I elbowed him in the stomach and slammed the back of my head into his face, forcing him to let me go. Without losing momentum, I stabbed him in the stomach with my right hidden blade and shot him with my hidden gun, killing him as well. As I kicked the Templar over, I was met with another punch to the face, bringing me to the ground. I looked up and rolled out of the way as Abelard brought his sword down on me. When he tried again, I rolled in the opposite direction, when he tried again, I rolled in my original direction, when he tried for the final time, I brought my arms up and blocked his attack with my gauntlets.

"'Bout time somebody gave you the boot!" I barked as I kicked him in the knee.

Abelard let out a pained yelp and stumbled back, biting back a string of curses. I jumped to my feet and struck Abelard in the jaw with a roundhouse and kicked him back with another roundhouse to his stomach, and finally I knocked him down with a twist kick to his face.

Abelard struggled to get up, but he let out a pained groan and laid back down.

"God… Dammit," he groaned.

I looked down at him, panting heavily, my forehead was sweating, my body was aching all over from the blows I took and my face with riddled with blood and bruises. I made my way over to Abelard and planted my foot on his stomach as my right hidden blade shot out.

"You… At long last… I have you in my grasp," I hissed, "do you… Have any… Fucking idea… The kind of hell you put me through ever since that fateful day?"

Abelard gave me a smile and a chuckle in response.

"Aw, what's the matter?" he asked, "still hung up about me killing one of your siblings?"

"Shut up!" I yelled, "you know I thought… I thought that what my superiors said were true… I thought that I could be above this… I thought that I could be above wanting to seek revenge after you killed my family. After you took my sister. After you killed my relatives and nearly killed my cousin… But I'm not. You… Your kind… Your fucking German allies have caused too much pain to me, these people and all of Europa (Europe)."

I raised my blade in the air.

"As my lord as your judge, he has made me his executioner, and by his decree, the sentence for your crimes… Shall be **_death_** ," I said in a dark tone.

"Don't!" someone called out.

I turned around fast and saw Jake and Dalton run over to me, through the chaos that had still ensued.

"Don't do it! Don't kill him Ariela," ordered Jake.

"Why not!?" I barked, "you know how dangerous he is. He'll just keep causing pain to more people if I let him live!"

"Yes… He will… But what will happen to you?" asked Jake.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I hissed, "what do I have to do with this!?"

"Don't listen to him Ariela… You're right… I'm a bad man," Abelard said softly, "if you let me live… I'll keep killing more people… Innocent people…"

I gritted my teeth, my chest started to get tight.

"Ariela, you don't want to do this. If you kill Abelard out of revenge, there's no returning from this," said Jake.

"It's your destiny kid… I know you want to… After all, you wouldn't believe the kind of things I did to your big sister," said Abelard.

I looked down at Abelard.

"What are you talking about?" I asked firmly.

"Well… Let's just say, unlike my German allies, we Templars often have free reign over a lot of the prisoners here… If you catch my drift," he said.

I retracted my blade and grabbed him by his shirt collar.

"What did you do to my sister?" I hissed.

"You don't want to know," Abelard said with a chuckle.

"Ari… Ari! Don't listen to him! He's trying to enthrall you!" Jake called out.

But his words fell on deaf ears.

"What did you do?" I snarled as my blade shot out again, "TELL ME!"

Abelard let out a weak laugh.

"Alright… I had my way with her," he said.

I felt my heart stop.

"…You lie," I said.

"Am I?" he asked, "you know I've got to say, never had I thought Polish women with German blood were so… Breathtaking. She was so soft whenever I held her in my arms, the way she moaned and sighed as I caressed her body, admiring her curves…"

I started grinding my teeth again.

"Ari! Don't listen!" Jake cried out, "he's lying to you!"

"Am I?" asked Abelard, "tell me, if I'm lying, then how is it that your sister has remained untouched since she's been here?"

I started breathing hard again.

"You really wouldn't let me, live would you? Especially after I got finished mounting your sister… Like some common street Hure (whore)," Abelard said with a taunting chuckle, "I think I might've filled her up after the time we spent together. Who knows? She might bear a child for me."

"He's lying to you! Don't listen to him!" Jake cried out, "Ariela, please!"

"I… I don't believe you…" I said in a shaky voice.

"If you don't believe me, then strike me down… Show me that you're a true symbol for your people," said Abelard, "show me that you're the true Silver Blade."

"Ariela! Don't do it!" Jake cried out, "don't do it!"

"Come now, what would your sister say if you let me live? If you let someone like me live?" asked Abelard, "how do you think she would feel? How do you think she would treat you if she found out you let the very same man, who raped her, live?"

"I. Don't. Believe you," I growled, my eyes started to become filled with tears.

"Why do you think she was so calm when she saw you? Want to know why? It's because I threatened to slit her throat if she so much as said a word about what I did," said Abelard.

"Ariela!" screamed Jake.

"I'd slit her throat and I'd watch as her life slowly ebbed away before me," said Abelard, "and once she had died, I'd have her body berated throughout all of Poland and Germany as a warning to anyone who tried to rebel against the Templars or Germany."

I couldn't take it anymore.

" ** _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_** " I screamed.

" ** _ARIELA, NO!_** " screamed Jake.

I took my hidden blade and brought it down.


	45. Chapter 44: Dopiero się zaczyna

Chapter 44

Dopiero się zaczyna...

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Nothing… Nothing was said for a whole five minutes. Nothing could be heard either, as the fighting all around us seemed to have just… Stopped. All that could be heard was the cold night air blowing through the concentration camp, and the heavy panting that was coming out of me. I slowly pulled my hidden blade out and retracted it, my breathing becoming less and less hard as I felt myself slowly start to calm down.

"…That's it?" Abelard asked, breaking the silence, "you're given this one chance to have your revenge and you waste it-"

"Shut up," I said, "I'm staying my blade because… Because Jake's right," I said, "if I did this… If I killed you out of revenge… If I had allowed myself to fall into that place… I'd never come back."

Abelard let out a small laugh.

"Are you fucking stupid? You'd really let your superior coax you into not taking your revenge? Whatever happened to having a choic-"

I cut him off by putting my hidden blade to his throat.

"Don't twist your words on me bitch, as far as I'm concerned I have half a mind to kill you right now," I hissed, "but I'm not going to… Death would be too easy for someone like you. I might as well show you mercy… But if there's one thing I learned from being an Assassin… It's that there's somethings that are far scarier than death."

I retracted my blade.

"So… Here's what's going to happen… I'm going to let you live, for now and instead I'm going to kill off your buddies within the inner circle," I said, "and when I've kill them… When I've claimed each of their lives, including the life of your grandmaster… I'll come for you. And when I do, I will fight you… And I will kill you."

Abelard didn't say anything. He just looked at me, with a blank stare on his face.

"So, for now… This is all you deserve, you piece of shit," I said.

I balled my right hand into a tight fist and punched him in the face. I slowly got up and made my way over to Jake and Dalton, I gave the boys a weak smile.

"You did well… Ariela," Jake said with a smile.

I let out a soft giggle.

"Thanks," I said.

"Hey Ariela… I just noticed something," said Dalton, "your shoulders completely healed."

"What?" I asked, looking over at my shoulder.

"What do you mean it's healed?" asked Jake.

Jake moved over to me and looked at my shoulder, the same shoulder that monster took a bite out of. It was healed. And what's more, there was little to no scarring.

"What did he mean by it's completely healed?" he asked.

"I'll… I'll explain later," I said, "Dalton, do you have the piece?"

Dalton smiled and flashed it.

"Right here," he said with a smile.

I smiled back and gave him a hug.

"Dalton, I could kiss you," I said sweetly.

Dalton responded with a dorky chuckle.

"Hey Dalton," said Jake.

"Uh… Yeah?" he asked as he let go of me.

"…Not bad," he said.

Dalton smiled. Jake gave him a hearty pat on the back.

"Not too bad at all," he said, "you know… Ari told me about how you helped her on her mission, she tells me that you've shown an exceptional set of skills… Skills that would mark you as a proper candidate to be recruited into the brotherhood. We could use a man like that."

Dalton's eyes widened.

"Are… Are you serious?" he asked.

Jake nodded.

"I… I don't know what to say… Thank you," said Dalton, "I'd love to join…"

Dalton's voice trailed off, his eyes widened again in shock.

"Ariela, look out!" he exclaimed.

"What-"

But I was cut off as Dalton pushed me out of the way and then-

 ** _BANG!_**

 ** _BANG!_**

I let out a gasp. Dalton was shot. I turned around fast and saw who the culprit was… It was Abelard.

" ** _NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_** " I screamed, seeing Dalton fall to the ground.

The fighting started back up again. I dropped to my knees and tried to help Dalton up.

"Ari! We have to go!" Jake exclaimed.

"No! I'm not leaving him here to die!" I snapped.

I saw Jake curse under his breath and he started to help me get Dalton to his feet.

"Sir, we have to go!" exclaimed one of the commandos.

"Get everyone on the trucks, now!" barked Jake.

The commando nodded and ordered everyone to head to the trucks as instructed. Just then, a bell went off in my head.

"Wait… Where's my sister?" I asked.

"She's on one of the trucks, one of the commandos got her on, amidst the conflict," said Jake, "now come on, we have to keep moving."

I felt a huge amount of pressure get lifted off of my shoulder, hearing Jake say that to me. At least my sister was safe. And out of the hands of the Templars and Germans. As we kept making our way to the trucks, I turned and saw a small squad of SS Guards making their way over to us.

"Jake!" I called out.

Jake turned, but as soon as he did, I saw Antoly jump down from above and throw two grenades at our pursuers. The grenades went off, causing the SS Guards to scatter.

"Antoly!" I chimed.

"You didn't think I forgot about you, did ya kid?" he asked with a wink.

I saw him draw his weapon.

"Get Dalton onto the truck, I'll cover you," he said.

Antoly started squeezing off a volley of rounds at another squad of SS Guards.

"Antoly, wait, you can't take them all," I said.

"I'll be fine kid, you just get him onto the truck and get out of here," he said as he kept firing.

"But-"

"Go!" he interrupted, "don't worry about me!"

Antoly let out a grunt as he took a shot to his shoulder and a shot to his side.

"Rrg… Dammit," he cursed, "come on you bastards!"

"Ari, you heard him, we have to leave," said Jake.

I growled and cursed under my breath. I didn't like the idea of leaving Antoly to defend himself. Though I didn't know him very well, I didn't like the idea of leaving a fellow brother to fend himself against the onslaught. With that, I gave Jake a nod and kept going.

"Hey kid!" Antoly called out.

I turned and looked over at him. Antoly gave me a smile and pulled out a smoke grenade.

"Udachi ... Serebryanyy klinok," he said.

Antoly threw down the explosive and the grenade went off, filling the area we were in with a thick cloud of smoke.

"Antoly!" I called out.

I ducked as I heard a few stray rounds hit the truck, causing me to quickly scramble aboard.

"Get us the hell out of here!" barked Jake.

I felt the truck go forward as we pulled out of the concentration camp, two commandos closed the doors as we fled the battleground. As we drove away, I was positive that I could make out Abelard's figure inside the walls of the camp as he saw us escape. He knows that this isn't over… We both knew… This wasn't over.

I sat back in my seat and turned my attention towards Dalton, who was leaning back in his seat with his hand over one of his wounds, slowly bleeding out. I reached over and pulled him into my arms as I saw his head hanging off to the side.

"Dalton… Rest your head on my lap," I said in a soothing voice.

Dalton did so. I started to take off the top of his uniform, so I could examine the extent of the wound.

"Ari… Is… Is it bad?" he asked.

I looked at Dalton and then I looked back at his chest. Judging by how the rounds are in close proximity to each other, and how much blood he's lost so far…

"Ari…" said Dalton.

I looked at him.

"Is it bad?" he asked.

I gave Dalton a smile and shook my head.

"No… I-It's not bad Dalton," I said as I stroked his hair.

Dalton groaned and put a hand on my cheek.

"Liar," he said.

I let out a weak chuckle. Dalton let out a weak chuckle as well and winced in pain. I looked up at Jake, giving him a pleading stare. Jake simply looked at me, then he looked at Dalton and then back at me. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He could tell the shot was fatal, as did I.

"Ehehe… Damn… And just as I was about to join you guys," he said weakly, "…I guess this is my punishment… For everything that I've done."

"Hey, hey, hey… Dalton don't talk like that," I said, "this… Don't… Don't think of this as punishment. You… This… You've redeemed yourself, got it? Don't think of this as punishment, you've redeemed yourself by helping me. You helped me get my sister back… You helped me get the piece to the Tracer. You did good."

Dalton gave me a weak smile.

"You're going to be alright… You understand me?" I asked as I held his hand, "you're going to be alright…"

Dalton let out a weak chuckle and… He started to cry.

"Then… Thank you… Ariela," he said sadly, "thank you for… Giving me this chance… To do right for once."

I felt Dalton squeeze my hand.

"And I'm sorry… Truly I am… For what we've done to your people… I'm sorry about what happened to your family," he said sadly, "I thought… We thought… We were doing right for our countries… We thought that we were helping to create a better world… But seeing all of those people being hounded down and thrown in our camps…"

Dalton winced in pain.

"Had I known… That the result of attacking your country… And holding it… In our grip… I never would've joined the military," he said as he looked off to the side.

I put my hand on Dalton's forehead.

"That's just one of the joys of being an Assassin Dalton… We fight for peace… We for freedom… The freedom to let the people do as they please," I said in a reassuring voice, "it's one of the reasons why I joined the brotherhood. To help give these people back their freedom… And that's what I plan to do."

As I spoke, I felt a stray tear roll down my face and fall on Dalton's cheek.

"Then… I hope you make do on your part," he said with a smile, "I hope… You help free these people… And take down these tyrants."

I gave Dalton a nod.

"I will," I said.

"And… Ari," he said.

"Yes?" I asked.

I felt Dalton's grip start to become loose.

"Tell your sister… I'm sorry," he said faintly.

I felt a slight tightness in my chest.

"What?" I asked.

I felt Dalton lose his grip on my hand.

"Dalton… Dalton," I said.

His arm went limp.

"Dalton… No, no, no, no, no, Dalton! Dalton! No!" I cried out, "Dalton, no! Please, no! Dalton!"

But it was no use… He was gone. Soon, more tears started pouring down my face as I put my head on his chest and broke down. No words were said for the rest of the ride back to the compound, all I got from everyone was a pat on the back and sympathetic look. They knew how I felt, they could understand what I was going through. Dalton was a good kid… He didn't have to die.

Many hours passed until we returned home, still, no one said as word as we hopped out of the trucks. When my sister saw me and Jake carry out Dalton… The look on her face, it was like a combination of shock… And despair. She immediately broke down crying as she ran over to look on my fallen ally. Suddenly, it all started to make sense.

Dalton and Miriam knew each other back at the camp. And if I had to guess… They must've been close. Very close. I felt a sharp pain in my heart, seeing my sister crying over the loss of Dalton… A very… Very sharp pain. It was all I could do except keep my head down as I walked past her.

 _"Przepraszam ... Miriam (I'm sorry... Miriam),"_ I thought as I headed into the compound.

Things were rather quiet for the rest of the night… At least for me anyway. Though we didn't exactly come back with the documents, the grandmaster commended me for a job well done since I got another piece of the Tracer and he gave me a promotion: He made me an Officer Cadet. As much as I wanted to be happy that I've achieved a new rank… I couldn't.

Sometime after coming back home, I overheard that there was a memorial service for Dalton, a few Assassins were there along with a few commandos and some of the people I knew like Helena and Jake for example. I heard that my cousin had joined the service along with Miriam. I heard that after the service was over, my sister was given Dalton's dog tags as a memento to remember him by. I'm sure you're all probably wondering… Where was I during the service? Well… I was in my room, more specifically I was lying on my bed., hiding from my sister. I wasn't sure if she found out I had spared Abelard and was pissed with me because that was why he lost his life. If she hadn't, I was afraid to tell her myself.

Either way, I didn't want to confront my sister, I don't think I could cope with seeing the look on her face if she found out the truth. Does that make me a coward…? Yes… There was no denying it, but… But…

 ** _*Knock*_**

 ** _*Knock*_**

I turned my head as I heard two light knocks on the door. I didn't move though. Just then I heard that same light knocks again, followed by a voice.

"Ari?"

It was Jake.

"Ariela, it's me… Can I come in?" he asked.

I let out a sigh and got up to go answer the door. As much as I didn't want to, I figured that Jake could give me some kind of words of comfort. To my shock though, when I opened the door, it wasn't just Jake who was at the door.

"Miriam," I said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Ariela, she said that you wouldn't open the door if it was her," he said.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Miriam invited herself in and closed the door. My sister and I looked at each other in silence, not one of us said a word. To be honest… I was worried. Was she going to hit me for not being there at the service? Was she going to yell at me? Was she going to lecture me?

"Miriam…" I said, breaking the silence.

Miriam opened her arms and hugged me.

"M-M-Miriam… What are you doing?" I asked.

Miriam didn't say anything, she just kept hugging me.

"Miriam… Let go!" I exclaimed, pushing my sister away.

Miriam gave me a shocked look.

"Ari… What's wrong?" she asked.

I walked back over to my bed and sat down.

"…You shouldn't be here," I said quietly.

"What?" asked Miriam.

"…I said you shouldn't-"

"I already heard you," she said as she walked over and sat right next to me, "why shouldn't I be here?"

I looked away.

"Ariela… Please just talk to me," said Miriam.

I didn't say anything.

"Ariela…" Miriam said in a pleading voice.

"…I killed him," I said in a hurt voice.

"What?" she asked.

I looked up at Miriam, my eyes started to fill up with tears again.

"I… I got Dalton killed Miriam," I said sadly, "I got him killed because I spared Abelard."

I put my face against Miriam's chest and started to break down again.

"I should've killed him," I said sadly between sobs, "I-I-I should've killed him. I-I-It should've been me! It should've been me! Not him!"

Miriam wrapped her arms around me.

"It's not fair!" I cried, "why did he do it!? Why!? It should've been me!"

"Ariela… Shh… Shh…" Miriam said in a motherly voice as she rocked me back and forth, "shh… Shh…"

I kept crying, my tears started to soak through her shirt.

"Cholera ... Cholera do piekła (Dammit... Dammit to hell)," I said in a shaken voice.

"Shh…" said Miriam.

I started to become quiet as I felt my sister start to stroke my back, trying to calm me down. I looked up at my sister, my face was wet with my tears.

"Wh-Wh-Why aren't you saying anything?" I asked, "a-a-aren't you… Mad at me?"

Miriam let out a sigh and pat me on the head.

"Nie (No)," she said.

"But… But I spared Abelard… Th-The same man who attacked our home… Killed our sister," I said in a shaken voice, "y-you should be-"

"Ariela… I'm not mad," interrupted Miriam, "if anything… I'm actually happy."

I sniffled.

"H-Happy?" I asked.

Miriam nodded.

"I'm happy because you didn't kill him out of revenge," she said.

I wiped my eyes.

"But… I thought… I thought you'd be angry with me," I said, "I thought you'd be furious."

"Furious?" asked Miriam, "Ariela… As much as I would want you to take that man's life… the truth is… I preferred if you didn't."

I sat up straight.

"Why?" I asked.

Miriam poked me in the chest.

"Because you would've executed him for the wrong reason," she said, "you wanted to kill him out of revenge. You believed that by killing him, you'd be pleasing me… Our family… Our friends… Our relatives. But in reality, baby sister… You'd only be pleasing yourself."

I sniffled again.

"W-W-Wait… So… You don't want him killed?" I asked.

Miriam giggled.

"Wanting someone "killed" seems a bit too… Strong," she said, "I prefer to use the word… Punish."

Miriam pat me on the head again.

"Listen to me Ari… I'm not mad at you for the choice that you made…" she said in a reassuring tone, "but what happened to with Dalton… You shouldn't have to beat yourself up because of it. Had he not saved you… I wouldn't be brought together with my baby sister and cousin again."

I smiled at Miriam and gave her a big, warm hug.

"Plus… I can't believe that you're actually an Assassin," she said, "Abelard had killed you, I wouldn't get the chance to hear about all of the missions you've been on."

I let out a small laugh.

"Well… Being an Assassin isn't all that fun and games," I said, "it's uh… Actually, a lot more dangerous than you can believe."

Miriam giggled.

"Yeah… You're fight with Abelard kind of proved that," she said.

I looked up as I heard my bedroom door open. It was Jake.

"How are we doing?" he asked with a small smile.

"Wszystko idzie świetnie (Everything's going great)," I said.

"Tak (Yeah)," said Miriam.

Jake chuckled.

"Good," he said, "Miriam… If you don't mind… I'd like to talk with your sister for a moment."

Miriam looked over at me and gave me the goofiest looking grin.

"Oooooo, looks like pretty boy wants to have a word with you baby sister," she said with a giggle.

I felt my face get hot.

"Miriam!" I exclaimed, shoving her.

Miriam laughed. I had forgotten how much she teased me whenever she saw me with a cute guy. My sister got up and walked out of the bedroom, leaving me and Jake alone so we could talk.

"So…" Jake said as he made his way over to me, "…how uh… How are we fe-"

But he was immediately cut off as I jumped to my feet and kissed him right on the lips the moment he was in range of me. I pulled away and proceeded to give him a big, warm, loving hug.

"…Thank you," I said.

"W-W-Why uh… What for?" he asked.

"For helping me find my sister," I said.

"Oh… It's a pleasure," he said as he hugged me back, "I guess this means you'll be leaving the brotherhood then."

I looked at Jake like he was crazy.

"What?" I asked, "leave the brotherhood?"

Jake nodded.

"Why would I want to leave the brotherhood?" I asked.

Jake looked at me for a moment before speaking again.

"Well… I figured that since you have your sister back… You'd want out of the brotherhood," he said, "I mean… That was the agreement after all. You helped us in our fight, and we help you find your sister."

I gave Jake a look.

"So… I thought I would take it upon myself and take your equipment once you gave me-"

"No," I interrupted.

"Whoa, what!?" he exclaimed.

Jake looked at me like I said something crazy.

"You mean… You'd still stay with us… Even after you rescued your sister…? Even after everything you've been through…?" he asked.

I smirked.

"Don't sound so disappointed big boy, you'll make me cry," I said as I poked him in the chest, "and besides… my mission isn't over."

"Mission?" asked Jake.

I nodded.

"Abelard still lives, along with the remaining members of the grandmaster's inner circle, right?" I asked, "we dealt a blow to the Templars by stealing a piece to the Tracer from them. Though it wasn't a major blow… It was still a considerable blow nonetheless; and I'm sure we both know that the Templars will remember this act we pulled against them."

Jake nodded in agreement.

"True," he said, "but Ariela… You do realize that if you continue to help us… If you continue down this path… You'll never be the same again."

I gave Jake a confident smile.

"If that's the risk I'm willing to take to help the Assassins in their fight against the Templars… Then so be it," I said, "I've already started to develop a reputation for myself as the lethal Silver Blade, and I'd hate to disappoint a lot of people if I were to abandon them."

Jake didn't say anything. I continued.

"So… I'm not out of the game yet, Jake," I said as I turned and looked over at my equipment, "I'm going to own that hood, and become the symbol that my people need. A symbol of hope. And a symbol of fear for my enemies."

Jake chuckled.

"Well then… Silver Blade… I'm glad to see that you're sticking around a little longer," he said.

Suddenly, I felt Jake kiss me on the cheek, causing my face to get hot. I looked at him and saw he was smiling.

"Now… Get some rest… You've earned it," he said as he headed for the door.

I watched as Jake left. I looked over at my robes and walked over to them. As I placed a hand on the chest piece, I felt a strange tingling sensation go up my arm. For a moment, it felt like these robes were telling me that they're officially a part of me now. Every last part of them.

 _"Zostałem zaprzyjaźniony do braterstwa, więc mogłem pomóc im z ich powodu. W zamian pomogli mi znaleźć Miriam (I was inducted into the brotherhood so I could help them with their cause. And in exchange they would help me find Miriam),"_ I thought, _"Ale jeśli miałbym wyjść z braterstwa ... nie byłbym lepiej niż templariusze, porzucając moich sojuszników albo zabierając ich władzę po tym, jak pomogli mi osiągnąć mój cel ... I nie mogę tego zrobić (but if I were to leave the brotherhood... I wouldn't be better off than the Templars, abandoning my allies or taking away their seat of power after they helped me achieve my goal... And I can't do that)."_

I pulled my hand away and looked at my palm.

 _"Jeśli będę na dłuższą metę, muszę być silna ... muszę ... Dla każdego, dla którego walczę (If I'm going to be staying for the long haul, then I have to stay strong... I have to... For everyone that I'm fighting for),"_ I thought as I closed my hand into a tight fist.

As I looked at my robes one last time, the thought of Abelard seeing me and my friends fleeing the camp was enough to make a smug smile start to stretch across my face.

Ta wojna zaczyna się dopiero (This war is just getting started) …

To be continued…


End file.
